PoSGH clinic flooded, outpatients wait in vain

A ruptured overhead pipe shut down the outpatient medical client at Port of Spain General Hospital on Monday.

Scores of patients who had appointments were given another date because the clinic was flooded.

Staff and patients had to be seated outside for hours until the maintenance crew had cleaned the area.

Although the water was swept away, more water kept running down the walls from the top floor, making it difficult for the staff to start the clinic.

After several hours the head nurse eventually told patients they would be given another appointment.

“We have a situation where the doctors cannot perform their duties because the entire clinic is flooded out. There will be no clinic today, and those who need medication, we will take your names and a doctor will write it up for you,” the nurse said. “Those who do not need medication you can give the clerk your name to get another appointment.”

A nurse, who did not want to be named, told Newsday it was not the first time the clinic had flooded.

“This happens all the time. This time the situation is worse, and they need to do something about it before a wall in the hospital falls down.

“They need to do better than this. We go through a lot at this hospital, but we ensure patients gets the required aid they need. We carry out duties even if we have lack of resources,” the nurse said.

A patient who only gave his name as Steve said he normally reached the hospital at 5 am to ensure he got an early space for 7.30 am, when the clinic starts.

“To reach here so early and have to sit and wait again is inhumane. We sat down here for hours, only to be told we have to wait again.

"This is madness. They saw what was going on they could have tell people this a little earlier.”

Acting CEO of the North West Regional Health Authority Terron Gilchrist said, “I am aware of the incident that took place on Monday. There was an issue with a pipe that, due to high pressure, burst out of the wall on the top floor and flooded the entire medical clinic area downstairs.

“It has been rectified by the internal maintenance crew. It has been addressed and services are back up.”