T&T Government Says Guyanese National Was Not Denied Emergency Medical Treatment

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government, Monday, denied reports that a Guyanese national died here after being denied urgent medical treatment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) last week.

Health Minister Dr. Fuad Khan told a news conference that no person should be denied emergency medical attention at any hospital in the country.

“The patient was being treated. They had started treatment…it was the relative who opted to move the patient,” Dr. Khan said, adding that the clerk at the hospital was just following procedures of filling out the forms.

“It was nothing about stopping or denying assistance,” he told reporters, adding “from the reports that we have the patient relatives said wait I am coming back just now the next thing it was in the media”.

“The patient was never denied treatment,” Dr. Khan insisted.

The Guyana government Sunday expressed concern over the incident in which one of its nationals, Jeetindra Sookram, 35, died after he was denied medical attention.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana said it was liaising with the Trinidad and Tobago authorities on the matter.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is deeply concerned over the reported incident in which a Guyanese national was refused emergency medical attention at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and later succumbed while being taken to another medical institution.”

“The Minister has assured that the matter is already under investigation and has reaffirmed the principle that no one should ever be refused emergency medical attention at any hospital. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be aggressively pursuing the matter with the authorities of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,” the statement said.

Sookram’s common-law wife, Vidya Bachu, told local media that her 35 year-old companion, a farmer, came to Trinidad last week Tuesday on a two-week vacation, but soon complained of chest pains.

She said he was taken to the EWMSC but on arrival was told that they would have to pay for all medical services because he was not a Trinidad and Tobago citizen.

“I asked her how much I have to pay. She told me she can’t tell me that until everything is finished. If she would give me an answer I would have paid. She tell me I have to wait. I am not a Trinidadian I am a Guyanese, she did not explain anything me,” Bachu told local media.

Bachu said she then took him to a private medical clinic in Central Trinidad, but he died in the car park of the facility.

The North West Regional Health Authority has launched an investigation into the incident and Dr. Khan told reporters that given the concerns raised due to the reporting on the incident, he was hoping that it would not strain relations between the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

“The patient was never really denied treatment so this is why I call the press conference to maintain the relationship between Guyana and Trinidad…” he said.