The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines made a “herculean effort” to fly the three Union Island burn victims to Trinidad after efforts to get them to Martinique proved futile.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on Wednesday that much work had been done to get the trio to Martinique before two of them died on Sunday.
“…the authorities at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital said that they said that the burns are too much, they will have to – if it is more than 40% of the body, they would act as a transit point to take them to Paris, France, where they have a connection,” Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday.
“Of course, that would have involved other delays and the like so I said why don’t we try somewhere else and we began to work with Southern Medical in Trinidad and we have worked with Southern Medical before on a lot of tertiary healthcare issues and I don’t have the time to go through all the details but I tell you it was a herculean effort to get her down to Trinidad on Sunday because of all what was involved.”
He noted that Trinidad’s airport and borders are closed.
“But, thank God she is there and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
Three persons — Freddy Naert, 72, the owner of Freddy’s Gas Station, and Union Island Secondary School students Graniqua “Azara” Alexander, 17 and Lindini Neverson, 14, sustained, first, second and third degree burns when the gas station exploded around 6:40 p.m. on May 19.
They were transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital that same night, where Naert and Neverson died last Sunday, May 24.
Alexander was flown to Trinidad for medical attention on Sunday. She died Wednesday night.
Gonsalves said:
“Lindani, up to Saturday night, I was assured by the relevant hospital authorities, medical authorities here … — despite the fact he had a respiratory problem, slight respiratory problem — that he was going to be OK.”
Mr. Backward is at it again with inadequate medical protocols. Can’t make up he mind in the mean time three people are dead. The reality of life in Union Island is one of the ULP making. @Gonsalves and L Browne: you would have to born again for you to fix your evil ways.
My condolences goes out to the family of the victim of Union island may their Rip
You should all read this it is really relevant
https://www.ieyenews.com/opinion-svgs-argyle-airport-still-a-danger/
Three dead and an exposed useless medical system in SVG.
My heart bleed for these 3, I can imagine the agony they went through. May there souls rest in eternal peace. I pray for the families, that the Lord will strengthen them in their time of grief.
The Minister of health is clearly not qualified for such a sensitive portfolio,since he was never got the necessary training in the field of medicine. In other words the Minister of health is a novice since he lacked the necessary knowledge which is requisite for the filed of medicine.
What then could be expected of an incompetent minister, bad decisions which will ultimately cause death as we have seen in the handling of the Union Island accident. It was alleged that no ambulance was waiting for the coast guard at Port Kingstown to transport the injured to the hospital.
If the ministry cannot manage a minor accident such as the one at Union Island. It begs the question as to what will happened if there is a major accident at the AIA involving one of these Jumbo jets that carries more than 150 passengers?
I am wondering how truthful the PMs statement is so I am investigating
So far I can tell you that the Burn Unit in Martinique at the University Hospital is under construction. Were they contacted? I am awaiting their reply.
Things do not look so Kosha from other sources either.
I will let you know the results.
I am sorry that one must investigate every word he utters due to him being a consistent liar.