Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Govt. funds charter for neurosurgeon
Winston Murray
Up to press time last evening, Shadow Finance Minister Winston Murray remained unconscious in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Despite the fact that he remained on respirator, his breathing and his heart rate are said to have stabilised from the previous erratic pattern.
Earlier today, the party and family announced that they were preparing to host a telethon to raise money to offset some expenses including the cost of flying Murray to Trinidad and Tobago for treatment.
But that appeared to be needless late yesterday afternoon. Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, said that his Ministry and the GPHC have been mandated to take all necessary action to ensure the best possible care is provided to Murray.
And the government has decided to fly in neurosurgeon Dr Ivor Crandon by special charter. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy indicated this to Robert Corbin and to Dr. Van West-Charles. He told them that the Ministry will pay the total cost of the airfare and all other associated costs for Dr. Crandon to visit Guyana.
Dr Ramsammy said that the GPHC doctors have been in discussion among themselves and in consultation with Dr. Ivor Crandon, a Guyanese Neurosurgeon, who works at UWI and at the General Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica.
“We have engaged the family of Mr. Murray and also colleagues of Mr. Murray in these discussions.”
He said that the medical providers at the GPHC and private physicians in Guyana have worked together and they have consulted with Dr. Crandon and other colleagues.
The Minister said that even though the medical team at the GPHC was ready and was on standby to operate on Murray, the members and surgeons at the Balwant Singh Hospital, in consultation with Dr. Crandon, agreed that surgery was not possible and that it was best to have Murray managed medically through life support.
He said that in spite of this, a request that has been made by some of Murray’s colleagues, including Dr. Richard Van West Charles, to have the consultant, Dr. Ivor Crandon, who works at GPHC periodically, come to visit Mr. Murray.
The Guyanese medical doctors, in concurrence with Dr. Crandon, did not see that anything additional could be done by Dr. Crandon with whom they had developed the clinical management plan for Murray.
Dr Ramsammy said that the Government has indicated its full support for Dr. Crandon’s possible visit.
On Friday, he said that Dr. Crandon “was unavailable to come right away and was only available from tonight (yesterday) and will have to return to Jamaica by Monday morning.”
He said that the Ministry offered to have a neurosurgeon from Trinidad, but Dr. Van West Charles preferred Dr. Crandon, in spite of the difficulties in getting Dr. Crandon into Guyana.
He insisted that the Government at no point sought to discourage and even gave its total support to have Dr. Crandon in Guyana.
Dr Ramsammy said that the Government will continue to offer all support to Murray and his family.
“We urge every Guyanese to pray and hope for the best for Murray…He deserves the prayers of every Guyanese, regardless of politics, race or religion….Doctors and ordinary citizens alike truly hope for a miracle.”
Murray was rushed to Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown after he collapsed on his way to his Continental Park, East Bank Demerara home following Thursday’s parliamentary debate in which he participated.
He was in an unconscious condition when he arrived at the Hospital, and a scan showed that there was blood around his brain.
Murray was heading home when he stopped at Houston to buy a lotto ticket, according to his colleague and supporter, Ronald Austin.
Austin said that after he collapsed he had the presence of mind to give someone phone numbers and the keys to his car.
He also gave instructions that he be taken to Balwant Singh Hospital.
However, later in the evening, he was transferred to the GPHC where he was immediately placed in the Intensive Care Unit.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
A call for more cultural centres
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- Burnham’s decision to divert the Indian Immigration Fund towards constructing the National... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
