Doctor threatens Guyana's First Lady with court action

Friday, November 7, 2003

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: First Lady Uma Jagdeo has indicated that there will be positive change after legal proceedings with Dr. Ramesh Mathura of Medical Associates Hospital Limited.

Dr. Ramesh Mathura, a haematologist attached to the Medical Associates Hospital Limited, Trinidad and Tobago has filed legal action against the First Lady and not Kids First Fund for monies owed to him.

Matura is claiming that the First Lady owes him Management fees totalling TT$234,800 from January 3, to July 17, 2001. 

At the centre of the controversy is treatment to Trevayne Lewis and Javed Rambarran, diagnosed with Acute Monocytic Leukaemia and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia respectively.

These children were to be admitted at Mount Hope Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago but on their way to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport it was reported that they were no beds available for them at the hospital.

Leaving the children stranded at the Airport or having them remain in Guyana, according to Mrs. Jagdeo, could have resulted in their death, and so, arrangements were then made for them to be admitted to Medical Associates. 

These arrangements were made between Professor Vijai Narayansingh and the First Lady. 

Other patients treated by Mathura were Teshana Singh, Shellene Salim, Rameshwar Neerahoo, Anil Ramnarine, Kelly Narine and Andrew Sibdhanie.

One of these has since died.

In a Press Conference this morning, the First Lady stated that no sums are owed to Dr. Mathura since there was never any contract between Dr. Mathura and herself for management services.

Mrs. Jagdeo stated that in March, Mathura said management fees would be waived and the Kids First Fund will only be billed for medicines used. Following that in May, Dr. Mathura in a correspondence, concretised his intention to waive fees for two patients.

He requested management fees for five of the patients totalling TT$30,800, TT$5,000 for medication. Costs for the other two amounted to TT$11,210 and TT$34,738.10, for Lewis and Sibdhanie respectively. 

Payments have been made to Medical Associates in the vicinity of $7,000,000.

In further action, Mathura took away the passports of these patients and threatened their families with deportation. Mrs Jagdeo reported this to the Trinidad Medical Council and but has received no response to date.

She said Dr. Mathura took advantage of the situation. She is hoping that this situation will highlight the problems other Guyanese patients face when they go to other countries for treatment.

She said she "must take a stand and represent not only Kids First Fund but also Guyanese who depend on overseas medical institutions to save their lives."

She is confident that she will win the case against Mathura. 

Through the Kids First Fund, children also receive treatment in Canada, Barbados and the United Kingdom.

Mrs Jagdeo is the Patron and Secretary of the Kids First Fund a charitable, non-governmental organisation which helps to provide emergency medical treatment for children countrywide despite their race, religion or political affiliation.

They provide glasses for children, supply nutrients, medication and other medical car.

This Organisation came into being in February 2000.

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