Stuck with needle, man wants compensation

He said he visited a doctor in the hospital where he received a sick leave.

“I went inside (Accident and Emergency Department) and told them I got stick by a needle and they gave me tablets. They gave me seven days and when I came back and tell them the thing getting worse they gave me seven more days. I took it (the first sick leave) to the manager and supervisor.

Some of them (employees) didn’t know I get the sick leave so they think I was missing days,” he explained.

Osmond claimed this was not the first time something like this had happened at the hospital.

“Management trying to make this look like is a small thing. But getting chook with a needle is no small thing. It could lead to life threatening diseases being passed on,” the worried man said. He said a blood test showed he picked up no infection as a result of the mishap and was medically sound.

Days after being stuck, he began to feel unwell and was granted an additional seven days sick leave.

Employees from Osmoand’s department staged a protest outside the hospital to express their displeasure and call for strict health and safety protocols when it came to dealing with the disposal of bio-hazardous waste.

Osmond says he is exploring all “options and avenues” as he seeks to get compensation for his injury.

“They are acting like nothing happened and this is not right at all,” he said.

The Tobago Regional Health Authority, responded to Osmond’s issue via a press release. “The TRHA will like to state the facts regarding this matter. An employee was involved in an incident on December 29th 2016 at the Accident and Emergency Department while performing his duties.

“All protocols and reporting processes were observed when he was treated at the Accident and Emergency Department for his injury and was subsequently granted sick leave with full pay.

The TRHA is committed to providing the best treatment and care to our employee to ensure his full recovery.

As a result of misinformation, some employees from the Environmental Services unit engaged in protest action. They were advised that such action, according to the union agreement, must not be taken during working hours.

No services were disrupted as a result of the protest action.”