MEMBERS of the public must provide important and accurate information to health workers when they are feeling unwell.
A medical officer at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) made the advice via social media following an incident over the weekend.
The incident involved a patient who was feeling unwell and was taken to the NRH Outpatient for medical attention.
It was revealed some of the nurses were without any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when attending to the patient.
It was later that the patient confessed to having traveled in from Australia which caused panic at the hospital.
A source within the hospital confirmed the incident Monday.
“The incident occurred when a patient sought medical attention at the outpatient claiming to be sick.
“The nurses and doctors on shift took the patient’s blood test and body temperature assuming that it was a normal headache or malaria.
“After all the tests were taken the patient asked to be tested for coronavirus which alarmed the nurses and doctors who attended the patient because they did not wear any protective equipment,” said the source.
Some of the medical officers who attended to the patient were quarantined after the encounter, it was revealed.
The patient’s blood sample has been taken and awaiting any first available transport to be taken over to Australia.
Following the incident, SI citizens have been urged to take the matter seriously by always giving the right information to the frontline nurses and doctors if they are feeling unwell and have recently traveled abroad.
“Always call the given numbers 25256 or 155 the toll-free number if you have a traveling history and you are feeling unwell,” the health officer said.
Meanwhile, the NRH’s Medical Superintendent Dr. John Hue yesterday announced that all non-urgent clinics and hospital services are suspended until further notice.
By Esther Nuria
