Hospital staff remanded for theft of COVID vaccination books

A 27-year-old driver attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital was charged with simple larceny and forgery during his appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Avinash Rameshwar of Goed Intent, West Bank Demerara was remanded to prison until September 20. He appeared before Magistrate Z. Ali-Seepaul and was not required to plead to the charges.

Rameshwar and three other employees of the hospital were arrested on Tuesday after they were found with twelve blank COVID-19 vaccination books, 17 stamped sick leave forms, and other medical equipment.

Three of the men were initially caught with four of the blank COVID vaccination books while the seven other books were found in a minibus driven by one of the suspects.

Police said Rameshwar was responsible for picking up the COVID-19 books from the Ministry of Health in Georgetown and take them to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.  He reportedly told police that he took out 12 of the blank vaccine books from one of the deliveries he made.

Further investigations by police led to a nurse being interviewed who denied that the signature on one of the books found in the suspects’ possession and allegedly signed by her was not hers.