Dear Claudienne,

I’m having a really serious issue currently. My uncle was transferred from a private hospital to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) on Sunday, October 5, 2025 with leptospirosis.

The doctor at the private hospital said he was being transferred as the situation was critical and they didn’t have an ICU. The doctor said that the ICU at UHWI would receive him. He also said that the UHWI has a blood bank that would be beneficial to him in the event that he would need blood, hence the reason for the transfer.

We got to UHWI at about 10:30 pm on Sunday, October 5, 2025. At about 3:45 am on October 6, he was seen by a doctor who examined him and collected blood for testing.

The doctor told me that my uncle was doing great as he had no active bleeding sites and was not confused as he was able to identify objects shown to him. The doctor said that he needed a chest X-ray in CD form from the private hospital and I went and got it and gave it to the UHWI doctor at about 1 pm on October 6, 2025.

On the morning of October 7, 2025, his condition worsened and the hospital called and told his wife that he would be needing blood. The medical team also said that he had not passed any urine from Sunday and so his kidneys were in distress.

When I asked the doctor why my uncle had not been transferred to the ICU where the private hospital had assured us he would have been placed, he said that there was “no bed” there, but that the ICU team attended to him in the ward where he had been placed. When I asked if there was a log to confirm this, they advised that none was available. They said that if it was logged, the time stamp may be different. The doctor told me that he had also called the blood bank to request blood but when the blood bank was contacted, they said no request had been received from the doctor. I started to air my frustrations to the nurse and cried because I was feeling so helpless.

Now today (October 9, 2025) when his wife went to see him during visiting hours, he was bleeding profusely through the access site on his hand and through his nose. He also showed signs of confusion which means that the disease is progressing. When she asked to speak to the assigned doctor, a doctor told her that my uncle was new on the ward so she did not have much information on him.

On Sunday when we took him there we had high hopes in the health-care system but as of now, while we are still hopeful, we feel helpless and neglected and it’s like we are watching our loved one just wither away.

I need your help.

DISTRESSED

Dear Distressed,

On October 9, 2025 the Tell Claudienne column sent e-mail to the office of the CEO of the UHWI and to the public relations department seeking clarification as to when your uncle would be transferred to the ICU ward. However, shortly after the e-mail was sent, he died.

On November 12, a Tell Claudienne e-mail to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) pointed out that since October 9, 2025, the column had e-mailed and telephoned the CEO and the UHWI public relations department in respect of your concerns about your uncle’s death, at the hospital, to no avail.

The permanent secretary’s office advised the column to speak to the Director of client affairs, research and resolution at the MOHW and on November 26, 2025, Tell Claudienne received the following letter from the Client affairs research and resolution department .

“Thank you for your correspondence regarding the concerns raised by the family of XXX.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness wishes to inform you that it has made contact with XX via e-mail and via telephone and will continue to engage with XX directly to provide guidance on the process and next steps.

We also wish to express our appreciation for bringing this matter to our attention and for advocating on behalf of the client.”

On November 26, the personal assistant of the Minister of Health and Wellness also sent Tell Claudienne an e-mail in respect of your concerns.

The e-mail stated the following:

“Thank you for your correspondence regarding the concerns raised by the family of XXX.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness wishes to inform you that it has made contact with XX via email and via telephone and will continue to engage with XX directly to provide guidance on the process and next steps.

We also wish to express our appreciation for bringing this matter to our attention and for advocating on behalf of the client.”

We wish you all the best.

Have a problem with a store, utility, or company? Telephone 876- 936-9436 or Cell/WhatsApp # 876-484-1349 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.