March 29, 2024

INFO 10

THE TRUTH IN BLACK AND WHITE

Kwakwani patient transported to hospital in wheelbarrow

-Following ambulance no show

The makeshift ambulance

An elderly patient of Kwakwani, Region 10, was last Tuesday evening transported to the Kwakwani Hospital in a wheelbarrow, after calls made for the ambulance went unanswered. Renewed calls are being made by residents after the incident, for an ambulance to be purchased for the hospital. Presently, a mini-bus is being used as an ambulance, which was donated to the hospital by a local NGO. The bus is not effective in providing the service, especially in emergency situations.

This was the case last Tuesday, when relatives of 78-year-old David Kertious,  was found on the floor panting for breath and unable to respond to them. Relatives made several calls for the ambulance and the nurses related that they were unaware of where the ambulance was at the time. Calls for taxis also proved futile.

“Upon realising my father lying on the floor panting for breath, I contacted the Kwakwani Hospital but the nurses said they don’t know where is the ambulance. After making a number of phone calls for multiple taxis, we were left with no choice but to take him with a wheelbarrow,” Janet Kertious, the daughter of David Kertious, told INFO 10.

Mr. Kertious being tranported to the Kwakwani Hospital in the ambulance

    When this media house contacted Doctor-in-Charge at the Kwakwani Hospital Amanda Tewari, she said she is unaware as to the reason for the unavailability of the ambulance, since she would have also requested it earlier in the evening to attend to the patient, but was forced to use an alternative mode of transportation. “I would like to apologise to the family for the unavailability of the ambulance and I’ll look into the situation. Mr. Kertious is presently receiving medical attention while he remains in a critical condition, he was swabbed for COVID-19 and is awaiting results,” Tewari said.

    Back in January during the Government’s parliamentary outreach to the community, residents poured out their hearts to the Prime Minister, Brigadier,ret’d Mark Phillips, for a new ambulance at the Kwakwani Hospital, which he promised to make representation for.