Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence is seeking an inquest into the death of Nurse Schenise Apple who was found dead in her apartment at the nurses’ quarters in Mahdia. This decision was taken after a meeting with Dexter Copeland and Shonette Apple, the parents of the deceased.
This is according to the Department of Public Information.
Initially, the Ministry of Public Health, along with the Guyana Police Force (GPF), treated the investigation as a suspected suicide. However, following a meeting with the grieving family members, it was determined that an inquest was necessary.
“It is only in that way we will be able to have a deeper investigation into what really happened, so I am asking for an inquest…I am happy that I’m taking this step…All the answers to questions MUST come out in that inquest,” Minister Lawrence stated.
However, the family of Nurse Schenise said that they have not yet received a report officially stating the cause of death. Meanwhile, her father Dexter Copeland had queries and he is calling for answers to them. The minister noted that an inquest would resolve unanswered questions.
The family also asked that the Public Health Ministry be more cognisant of the security at nurses’ quarters and hostels, especially in far-flung communities.
Minister Lawrence assured that these are some of the many issues she is pushing to address within the health sector.
“This is not a one-off; we will forever keep this in our minds because we are sending people’s children away from their comfort zone to give a service to the people and we are responsible for their safety.”
Nurse Schenise was expected to return to her hometown of Linden after which she would have pursued studies in Phlebotomy at the University of Guyana to upgrade her nursing career. The family agreed that when the dust settles, they will be seeking to set up a foundation in her memory.
