The Coalition to Save DC General Hospital
Morbidity and Mortality Rate Increases because of DC General Closure
As of June 20, 2001

Home

Bibliography

Calendar

Columns
Dorothy Brizill
Bonnie Cain
Jim Dougherty
Gary Imhoff
Phil Mendelson
Mark David Richards
Sandra Seegars

DCPSWatch

DCWatch Archives
Council Period 12
Council Period 13
Council Period 14
Election 1998
Election 2000
Election 2002

Elections
Election 2004
Election 2006

Government and People
ANC's
Anacostia Waterfront Corporation
Auditor
Boards and Com
BusRegRefCom
Campaign Finance
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Management Officer
City Council
Congress
Control Board
Corporation Counsel
Courts
DC2000
DC Agenda
Elections and Ethics
Fire Department
FOI Officers
Inspector General
Health
Housing and Community Dev.
Human Services
Legislation
Mayor's Office
Mental Health
Motor Vehicles
Neighborhood Action
National Capital Revitalization Corp.
Planning and Econ. Dev.
Planning, Office of
Police Department
Property Management
Public Advocate
Public Libraries
Public Schools
Public Service Commission
Public Works
Regional Mobility Panel
Sports and Entertainment Com.
Taxi Commission
Telephone Directory
University of DC
Water and Sewer Administration
Youth Rehabilitation Services
Zoning Commission

Issues in DC Politics

Budget issues
DC Flag
DC General, PBC
Gun issues
Health issues
Housing initiatives
Mayor’s mansion
Public Benefit Corporation
Regional Mobility
Reservation 13
Tax Rev Comm
Term limits repeal
Voting rights, statehood
Williams’s Fundraising Scandals

Links

Organizations
Appleseed Center
Cardozo Shaw Neigh.Assoc.
Committee of 100
Fed of Citizens Assocs
League of Women Voters
Parents United
Shaw Coalition

Photos

Search

What Is DCWatch?

themail archives

MORBIDITY & MORTALITY RATE INCREASES BECAUSE OF D.C. GENERAL CLOSURE

As of June 20, 2001

The death toll is rising as predicted by the D.C. City Council, medical professionals and religious and community leaders. The morbidity/mortality rate is rising as a result of the dismantling of D.C. General Hospital. As many as 14 deaths and 1 intrauterine death may have already occurred.

• Name unknown, 25 year old female, suffered a stab wound to the chest. Revived in Medic Unit and transported to Prince George General Hospital, where she died April 20.

• John Thomas Ellis, 21 years old, shot in the 3800 block of 9' Street SE. He was taken to Howard University Hospital where he was pronounced dead April 29.

• William Eric Etheridge, 19 years old, star athlete, ready to enter college this fall, suffered from apparent multiple gunshot wounds in the 300 block of Anacostia Rd. SE. He was transported to Prince George's County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead May 6.

• Name unknown, 60 year old black male suffered asthma attack in route to doctor's office. Ambulance arrived at 4200 block of Benning Rd. NE. During transport, patient went into cardiac arrest. Transported to Howard University Hospital where he was pronounced dead May 10.

• 26 week unborn baby, after the mother reported to Greater Southeast with premature labor and then was sent across town to D.C. General Hospital because Greater Southeast Hospital is not equipped to handle babies born before 32 weeks. When she arrived there was no sign of life of the fetus. Incident occurred week of May 13.

• Johnnie Suber, Jr., 27 years old, found lying in the 2600 block of 10' Street NE, after being shot and died at Washington Hospital Center MedSTAR on May 25.

• Bia Secka, 20 years old, was found lying in the street of the 1600 block of Euclid St. NW suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Washington Hospital Center's MedSTAR where he was pronounced dead May 25.

• Freddie Aikens, 22 years old, was shot during a carnival, following an argument in the parking lot of RFK stadium (next door to D.C. General!) and brought to Howard University Hospital, where he died May 28.

• Jason Renarda Faison, 28 years old, found lying in the parking lot of a gas station on the 2800 block of Sherman Ave. NW with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Washington Hospital Center's MedSTAR Unit where he died May 29.

• Melvin Ball, a 48-year old male, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and the body in the 200 block of 62nd St. NE, and transported to Prince George's General Hospital, where he died on June 2..

• Alexander A. Gray, 22 years old, was shot in the chest in a confrontation with the police at the 4300 block of 4th St. SE, and transported to Howard University Hospital, where he died on June 9.

• Terence Billingsley, 29 year old, who shot a woman, and then shot himself, in the 100 block of Wilmington Pl. SE. He was taken to Prince George's Community Hospital, and pronounced dead five hours later on June 9.

• Tamiko Hagler, a female, was found with a gunshot wound to her neck at the 100 block of N St. NW, and transported to Washington Hospital Center, MedSTAR, where she died on June 10.

• Marlon Francisco Morales, 32 years old, was shot while on patrol as Metro Transit Police Officer at the U Street Metro Station. Officer Morales was brought to Washington Hospital Center where he succumbed of his wounds on June 13.

• Name unknown, male, was found lying in front of 4625 Central Ave. NE with gunshot wounds to the back. He was transported to Prince George's Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead on June 14.

In contrast to these incidents, over the weekend of June 9th, a young man suffering from 7 bullet wounds, who was driven to DC General by a friend, walked into the hospital. He had insisted on coming to DCGH, and had a friend drive him there, because he believed he could get the best care there, and he knew DC General would not accept Level 1 trauma patients if he came in by ambulance. He was immediately operated on by DCGH's expert trauma surgeons, and his life was saved.

Another case of morbidity: A woman having an ectopic pregnancy, which requires immediate surgery, or the fallopian tube can burst, and/or you could bleed to death was refused admission to Greater Southeast for 24 hours, because they had no room. And DCGH is forbidden to provide care for OBGYN patients -- it's ordered to send them to Greater Southeast. So DC General simply kept her alive, with transfusions, as she was bleeding profusely until she could be transferred 24 hours later to Greater Southeast.

Compiled by The Coalition To Save DC General Hospital
To report other incidents or for more information, call Lynne Speed at 202-544-7087