Ailing pregnant patient remains critical at home

Oct 09, 2014 News

..family receives public donation to fund trip to Venezuela for treatment

When doctors, both at a private hospital and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC),

Samantha Persaud

discharged 21-year-old Samantha Persaud, due to the lack of medical resources to treat her condition, her parents were left in a struggle to acquire funds to sponsor her treatment overseas.
Persaud was diagnosed with a serious abnormality in the brain, and according to medical practitioners, she only has three more weeks to live if left untreated.
One week has already elapsed, and the parents of the young woman, who is now six months pregnant, is still desperately seeking financial assistance to get their daughter the overseas treatment she requires.
After exploring options in the Caribbean and South America, the family said that the surgery is being offered in Venezuela at US$20,000 in most hospitals.
Generous members of the public were sympathetic to Persaud’s situation, and the family has since been able to raise over $500,000 which will fund the flight to the Spanish-speaking nation and facilitate her admission to the foreign facility.
The ailing woman’s mother, Nalini Gansham, said that they are grateful also that local airline, Roraima Airways, has agreed to provide a speedy flight to Venezuela on Saturday. She said that her daughter’s condition is critical.
Persaud’s father, Jaimangal Gansham, reiterated that doctors have warned that his daughter’s condition could lead to her death. He said that his daughter started to complain of severe headaches and dizziness after suffering from hypertension at their home five weeks ago.
He said that she was immediately rushed to a private hospital, and was diagnosed there with a serious abnormality in her brain.
He said that within three weeks at the private institution, some $1.9M was spent on his daughter’s recovery, but treatment was unsuccessful.
The father said that private doctors later advised that medical treatment be sought overseas, since the resources necessary was not available locally.
Since the family did not have funds off hand to fund the overseas trip, Gansham said that he had his daughter transferred to GPHC on September 18; but she was discharged from the public facility about one week ago, since they too did not have the necessary treatment.
The GPHC medical report on Persaud’s condition, signed by General Medical Officer, Dr. Anna Singh, indicated that an “MRI of the brain with and without contrast was done and showed Arteriovenous malformation.”
Arteriovenous malformation is said to be “an abnormal connection between arteries and veins, bypassing the capillary system”. It can cause intense pain, bleeding or lead to other serious medical problems.
The GPHC report stated that “presently we do not have the necessary resources to operate on this type of pathology, hence we advise the patient to seek overseas treatment.”
The report also indicated that Persaud is suffering from temporary memory loss. According to her father, after Persaud was discharged from GPHC on October 2, she has since remained home in a critical state.
Having used all their funds on local treatment, her family members said that they are still struggling to accumulate enough money for the overseas treatment.
Gansham said that he is currently seeking assistance from the Ministry of Health, NGOs, family and friends, to acquire the sum of money in the hope of saving his daughter and grand-child.
Persons desirous of providing support can do so by contacting the family on 268-3519 / 672-1464 or by making a deposit in account number 218422197 at Citizens Bank.

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