Minister of Housing and Works Eustace ‘Teco’ Lake is scheduled to undergo a kidney transplant today at Mount St. John’s Medical Center.
This will be the 5th kidney transplant to be performed at Mount St. John’s and comes one year after the historic first kidney transplant operation at the institution.
The GG also took the opportunity to wish MP Eustace Teco Lake well as he prepares to undergo a kidney transplant. His cabinet colleagues have also wished him well.
The MP took ill last year and was being treated for kidney failure as he searched for a donor.
Meantime, the Government says it has put in place a “tentative plan” for the expansion of the dialysis unit.
The announcement was made as Governor General Sir Rodney Williams delivered the Throne Speech on Thursday.
Despite its program to transplant kidneys, the government says the number of patients requiring dialysis continues to grow.
“The expansion of the dialysis unit is the inevitable path upon which my Government will embark,” Sir Rodney told a joint sitting of the parliament.
He said: “the tentative plan is to rehabilitate the Edward Ward at the old Holberton Hospital, increasing significantly the number of machines that the dialysis unit can accommodate.”
Meantime the government plans to move ahead with the establishment of a National Health Insurance scheme.
This is intended to address the shortcomings of the Medical Benefits Scheme so that “residents and citizens who require medical intervention outside of the expertise readily available at the nation’s public health system, may be assured that a National Health Insurance plan will successfully provide expanded coverage.”
But the venture is not being welcomed by the main opposition United Progressive Party who have rejected it as “campaign rhetoric.”
“Against the backdrop of seeming financial instability at the Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS), the UPP is concerned that the ABLP’s plans to introduce the NHI are premature,” the party said in a statement.
“The ABLP administration does not have a good track record of strategic thinking or facilitating meaningful national dialogue to ensure that the NHI will be properly executed. We know that they are eager to get new policies into the pipeline to bolster their failing performance record, but this is something which will impact ALL citizens and residents. We caution the government against rushing into this venture without sober analysis and reflection on how it is likely to impact all stakeholders, especially given the likelihood of further payroll deductions to fund the system,” said Senator Harold Lovell, UPP Political Leader.
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Praying that Mr. Lake has a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Go with God.
God bless you both.
Nice to see they using MSJMC instead of taking MBS money overseas
A Jackie Quinn-Leandro and UPP ur jap wud gee??
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