By Angelo Lawrence, Gleaner WriterMANDEVILLE:
NURSES AT the Mandeville Regional Hospital, who demonstrated two weeks ago to draw attention to abuse and alleged threats to their lives resulting from the death of 15-year-old Andel McDonald, are awaiting the result of a post-mortem examination before taking the next step to protect themselves, according to a senior nurse.
Reports from the hospital and the police said McDonald was admitted to the hospital on Thursday July 1, suffering from rheumatic fever and died on July 25. His family is contending that he was not given the appropriate treatment at the hospital and that contributed to his demise.
It is said that a family member who visited McDonald hours before he died was not satisfied with the way he was being treated by a particular nurse.
This was reported to other family members who became angry and allegedly called the hospital and threatened the safety of the nurses. The hospital was attacked and windows smashed shortly after by persons throwing stones.
Fearing for their lives the nurses with placards in hands demonstrated in front of the hospital to demand beefed-up security and protection from McDonald's angry family. The police were called in after members of the family charged that the hospital refused to hand over the body.
POST-MORTEM ORDERED
A post-mortem examination was subsequently ordered done at the Spanish Town hospital. Dr. K.S. Parsad performed the examination Dr. Marjorie Vassell observed on behalf of the family.
However, at the end of the exercise the cause of death could not be determined and, therefore, body samples were sent to the Government's forensic laboratory and blood to the Blood Bank for further testing.
In the meantime normality prevails at the hospital, according to Chief Executive Officer Paulette Elliot. She told The Gleaner that the hospital's management have held meetings with the nurses and have taken steps to increase
security.
The CEO also said that she has been in dialogue with the McDonald family.
