Victimization - The Longest Wait

Nine Hours Too Long

Vado clutched her stomach as she sat in the comfortable chair of the emergency room at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, watching the minutes crawl by on her phone. Eight hours had passed since she'd first walked through the doors at 8 AM, her face contorted with pain that had only grown worse with each passing hour.

The bright fluorescent lights of the emergency department waiting room cast harsh shadows across her increasingly pale face. She knew the reason for the endless wait. Recent political tensions had created invisible barriers in what should have been a neutral space for healing, and her known political affiliation seemed to have marked her for neglect.

Through bleary eyes, she watched as others who had arrived hours after her were called in to see the doctors. Each time the door opened, hope would rise in her chest, only to be crushed as another name was called. When Vado approached the desk for the third time, around the fifth hour of her wait, she was met with the same dismissive response: "Please continue to wait."

The pain in her abdomen pulsed relentlessly. Several staff members had walked past, some casting uncomfortable glances her way, but none intervened to question why a patient with severe stomach pain had been waiting since early morning. The beautiful new facility of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, meant to serve all citizens equally, had somehow become a place where political divisions could determine access to care.

Other patients in the waiting room began to notice the disparity. They witnessed Vado's multiple attempts to seek attention, saw her deteriorating condition, and observed how others who arrived much later were promptly attended to. The whispers grew louder as the hours stretched on – nine hours of unnecessary suffering in what was supposed to be an emergency department.

Finally, Vado took to social media, her fingers shaking as she typed out her frustration: "Did you ask what's on my mind? This is crazy as can be, I came this morning at 8 am to the DCFH Dominica China Friendship Hospital complaining with a stomach pain and I was sent to the waiting room of the emergency up till now am still never been called to see a doctor 9 hours (STRAIGHT) after all... WHAT GOING ON SMH!"

Her post would later spark a broader discussion about healthcare equity in Dominica. The incident raised serious questions about how a modern facility, built through international cooperation to serve the entire community, could become tainted by political prejudice. The Dominica China Friendship Hospital, a symbol of progress and partnership, was meant to represent hope and healing for all Dominicans, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.

As Vado's story spread through the community, it served as a powerful reminder that healthcare must remain above political divisions. The hospital's very name – emphasizing friendship and cooperation – stood in stark contrast to the treatment she received. Her experience would become a catalyst for discussions about medical ethics, professional responsibility, and the fundamental right of every citizen to receive timely medical care, regardless of their political stance.