The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL dialysis patients at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) were left waiting for hours yesterday after staff absences delayed morning treatments.

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) confirmed the temporary disruption at the hospital’s dialysis unit, saying the staff call-ins were “legitimate” and unrelated to any industrial action.

Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) president Muriel Lightbourn backed the claim, saying nurses had already been paid outstanding overtime pay, a flashpoint issue between healthcare workers and the government last month that prompted mass staff sick-outs, mainly among nurses.

Yesterday’s delay is the latest issue to draw scrutiny toward PMH’s inadequate resources.

Disabled patient Marvin Johnson said the absence of nurses left many patients wondering if there was a strike.

He said when he arrived at the hospital, he found patients gathered outside, concerned and trying to figure out what was happening only to later find out that several nurses didn’t show up for work.

He the staff shortage forced hospital administrators and second-in-command staff to step in, while some patients had to miss work.

He normally begins treatment between 8.30 and 9 am, but was unable to get on a machine until after 1pm. He said up to 4pm yesterday, he was still on the machine even though he usually finishes treatment around noon.

“Everybody down because you know like when the 5am people coming, some of them mummies go to work for nine or 10, then we come in, and then we have things to do so everything is just pushed back,” he said.

He said the delays not only postponed treatments but also reduced the time patients spent on the dialysis machines.

He said the machine normally ran for three to four hours starting around 3.50 or 4am, but backlogs and no-shows had reduced operating time to three hours or less.

He claimed a nurse left at the end of her shift, saying the government was not paying her for overtime and she would not stay to work extra hours.

“She said ‘see you later,’ her shift is over and she left five of us on the machine,” he said.

Yesterday, the PHA apologised for the inconvenience and distress caused, adding that it remains committed to providing safe, timely and compassionate healthcare services.

The authority added that dialysis services have since been fully restored and all scheduled patients will receive treatment.