THA rejects Kamla’s medical claim

TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles yesterday rejected the Opposition Leader’s claims of a medical slush fund at the THA.

Charles also dismissed Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s claims of impropriety in the expenditure of $1.7 million for an urgent liver transplant for Dr Kevin King,

In a statement, Charles said the THA agreed to fund this transplant for King in April. He said King was an outstanding employee of the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) since April 2005 in the capacity of acting registrar in surgery. King was also the longest-serving acting registrar in the Department of Surgery at the Scarborough General Hospital

Charles said King was admitted to the hospital’s adult medical ward on March 1, with acute chest pains and was subsequently airlifted to the Port of Spain General Hospital’s intensive care unit, where he received blood transfusions and other related care.

King was treated jointly there by haematologist Dr Waveney Charles and gastroenterologist/hepatologist Dr Maria Bartholomew from March 5-26. Charles said by letter dated March 29, Bartholomew recommended lifesaving liver transplant surgery for King.

“Liver transplant surgery is not performed in TT,” Charles said. On the recommendation of the TRHA’S board, Charles said, assistance was sought from the THA and its executive council approved the funding for King’s surgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in India by Note No. 040 of April 4. King died on April 28.