REGIONAL – ‘Nightmare at Caura Hospital’ – Recovering COVID-19 patients beg for final tests for release

PORT OF SPAIN – Since leaving the confines of the Couva Hospital last Friday, the country has been told that the 17 recovering COVID-19 coronavirus patients are being given optimal care at a place of rest and relaxation.

The patients are however complaining they are living a completely different reality and continue to endure a nightmare that began the day their cruise ship confirmed a coronavirus case six weeks ago.

The Express has been told that ten of the 17 patients transferred out of the Couva Hospital were from the ill-fated cruise.

The recovering patients were transferred to the Caura Hospital last week to wait out the remainder of their quarantine.

But the new arrangement is nothing like they had been promised, some of them said.

At nightfall last Friday, the asymptomatic patients were placed in buses and taken to the Caura Hospital.

Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and Defence Force officers escorted the buses to the facility. An ambulance accompanied the patients in case of an emergency.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram had said at least 17 patients were expected to be relocated to a “non-hospital” environment as the patients were “well”.

Parasram said the patients would be required to undergo two tests and get negative results in both instances, within a 24-hour period.

But the testing was not immediately done and patients say they are appalled by the conditions at the Caura facility.

Patients contacted the Express yesterday expressing disgust over their conditions at Caura Hospital.

The Express was told that the patients comprised 12 women and five men at the facility, ranging from ages 30 to 70 years.

A spokesperson for the patients said the men and women are separated by a “partition” and there was no privacy.

The patient said, “The conditions here will cause a riot. The men have to share one toilet. There is a line to go to the bathroom on mornings and always an argument. The women have two toilets and three bathrooms so it is a little easier there. The men have to pass through the women’s dormitory to get to their bathroom. That is very embarrassing. Our privacy is not being respected here. This is not what we were told when they were moving us. They said a non-hospital environment, this is not what we expected. We are not sick, we are waiting to go home.”

The patient said the diet was unacceptable and ventilation in the rooms was poor.

He said, “This morning we have no water. The breakfast and lunch here is terrible. We are being eaten by mosquitoes as there are no fans.”

In tears, a woman said, “I did not see my family in 32 days. They treating us like dogs here. We have no symptoms and we did not get tested since coming here. We got no medication. We want to go home now, test us and get it over with.”

The patient said they were informed that on arrival at the Caura Hospital they would be tested for two negative results.

“We did not get that done yet. We are willing to self-quarantine on leaving here but we need to get those two tests,” she said.

The Express was told by another patient that the sanitary conditions at Caura are terrible.

The patient said she shares a small area with several people, one of whom seemed to have mental health issues.

The patient claimed the conditions under which they were being kept were dehumanising.

The woman said that there were different buildings housing patients and some have the luxury of their own private room.

She said one of these people is a social media personality.

The Express was told by a male patient that there is no proper disposal of garbage and many are worried that the absence of air conditioning, the heat and unsanitary conditions will make them ill.

A relative of one of the patients transferred to Caura Hospital also contacted the Express on Monday.

The relative said patients have made several attempts to speak to senior medical staff about the testing to no avail.

“They have been waiting with no answers and it is becoming very frustrating. My relative is becoming overwhelmed with frustration. I have to constantly talk to him to keep his cool. They told them the situation in Caura will be more relaxed and a better setting for them but it seems to be worse than Couva,” the relative said.

The Express was told that the patients staged a silent protest yesterday, triggering action from the authorities.

“Because we stand down this morning and demanded out rights a doctor came with some results (tests taken at Couva) and called in patients one at a time. They said we will have to do another test,” a patient said.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist at the North West Regional Health Authority Hazel Othello said yesterday an additional 17 patients were expected to be moved out of the Couva Hospital in the coming days. The patients were asymptomatic and awaiting their negative test results, she said.

Speaking at yesterday’s virtual media conference in response to a question, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said he had asked the chief executive officer of the North Central Regional Health Authority to visit the Caura Hospital.

Deyalsingh said, “I will always be at a disadvantage responding to individuals anonymously but I have asked the chief executive officer to go into Caura and do what is necessary to make life as comfortable as positive to all the people there.”
(Trinidad Express)