No heart surgery for poor in TT

Questions have been raised over the availability of cardiac operations for ordinary citizens of  TT who cannot afford to pay for open heart surgery.

In TT, cardiac surgery is available only at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, and that is on a “paid fee for service” basis. The concerns have been raised following the death of UNC Senator and former Pan Trinbago president Arnim Smith on Sunday. Smith died from a rupture of the aorta (main artery of the blood from the heart). Aortic dissection has a mortality rate of one percent per hour for the first 48 hours and reaches 98 percent in three weeks if left untreated.

In a previous Newsday report this week, a health official said Smith was fully briefed on his condition and the risks involved. The report stated that doctors were hoping to repair the artery by inserting a stent but further investigations revealed that the damage was so extensive it required a complex procedure to achieve success. Smith died while doctors were making preparations to send him to Washington Hospital Centre. “He could have been saved if open heart surgery was available in TT,” a UNC official lamented.

The source said one of the reasons why cardiac surgery is not available free of charge was because of a contract of the EWMSC Medical, which stipulates that cardiac surgeries can be done in TT, but only if paid for. The source alleged that some years ago, Government was  organising for a team of doctors from Washington to train local doctors for cardiac surgery but in the haste of getting the team together, a contract was signed, but the team never came. “It is disgusting that such a contract was signed and as a result of this, the poor people of this country cannot benefit from free open heart surgery,” said former Health Minister, Dr Fuad Khan.