Andy, a good doctor

Former Chief of Staff at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope and chairman of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), Dr Andy Bhagwandass, 47, died yesterday morning.

Friend and colleague, former health minister Dr Fuad Khan told Sunday Newsday he heard the news around 4.30 am, that Bhagwandass “simply didn’t wake up.” Cause of death is yet to be confirmed but Khan said it was suspected that it was either a heart attack or sleep apnoea.

Bhagwandass was a consultant of internal medicine in the Department of Medicine at the medical complex. He left to mourn a wife and two children still in secondary school.

Khan said he knew Bhagwandass for over 30 years as they attended medical school together at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus. They also had a good working relationship when Bhagwandass was chairman of the NWRHA and Khan was the line minister.

He said if he, family, or friends had a problem, Bhagwandass would attend to them and Bhagwandass would clear most of his patients before surgery. “He was a very good doctor. He was very giving, very sympathetic. In fact sometimes people couldn’t get things done at the hospital but Andy would go out of his way to get it done for them. It is a great loss in the medical fraternity.”

He said Bhagwandass was now starting to adopt a healthy lifestyle, losing weight and exercising. “It is sad. I got up to this news early this morning and I couldn’t believe it was Andy when they said Bhagwandass. It’s a shock to everybody. He will be missed.”

North Central RHA CEO Davlin Thomas described Bhagwandass as one of the stalwarts and foundation stones for the Department of Medicine. He said Bhagwandass was dedicated to improvement, committed to his work, and was critical to the progress the department made.

Thomas said Bhagwandass was engaging and everyone got the best from him. He was an advocate for patients, and even when he did so for the staff, it was because it would also benefit the patients.

He said at heads of department meetings Bhagwandass was one of the doctors who would speak up to say when something had to be done. He usually had all the facts, was prepared to engage, and when he was finished there was no other choice than to do what he advised.

Thomas recalled when Bhagwandass invited him to a birthday lime in Caura. He said when he arrived there were so many people of different ages and walks of life that it was like a whole village attended the event. He said from the poorest to the richest people, everyone ate, told stories, and enjoyed themselves.

“He had a trademark smile after he engaged you. Just thinking about his smile is making me smile. We really appreciated him. We will miss him... On behalf of the NCRHA – the board of directors, chairman, the executive, the staff and doctors – I want to express our sincerest and deepest condolences to his family. I know he held them dear.”