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Minister Vaz Clarifies National Security Minister’s Health Issues

October 22, 2009

The Full Story

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has clarified media issues linked to National Security Minister, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson’s health.
Speaking at the weekly Post Cabinet press briefing Wednesday (October 21) at Jamaica House, Mr. Vaz said that he was concerned about some media reports which suggested that the Minister’s health problem, requiring him to seek medical attention overseas, may have been due to a misdiagnosis.
The Minister explained that the advice of the doctors was based on Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) scans done in Jamaica, which indicated that there may have been a problem with an artery or a blood vessel to his intestines, as well as an inflamed gall bladder.
“Let me make it clear that, the doctors gave advice based on the fact that if the diagnosis of a blockage in the artery or the blood vessel was in fact so, then that would have two sets of implications,” he explained.
He said that one implication was that this it would require an operation that persons have not undergone in Jamaica in many years, if ever at all. The other being that post operation care would be very critical.
“As such, the facilities and, especially the equipment, was something that was taken very seriously into consideration,” he said.
Mr. Vaz noted that the Minister left the island by air ambulance, to undergo tests at a hospital recommended by the physicians at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
“Minister Nelson underwent six days of tests…at the end of that six days, it was decided that they would not operate on Minister Nelson, but they would deal with it through medication first, and he would go back in six weeks time for a follow-up visit to see how improved he is,” he stated.
Mr. Vaz said that the next visit will also determine whether the medication can allay a possible operation. He confirmed that Minister Nelson has returned to the island, is back at work and “is feeling fine.”
“I just want to say again to the doctors in Jamaica, that took care of Senator Nelson, that we appreciate all that was done for him, including the advice that was given in terms of facilitating him to go and get additional tests and consultations with a number of doctors,” he concluded.

Last Updated: August 21, 2013

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