St. Lucian baby gets life-saving surgery in SVG

Another non-national, this time a Saint Lucian, has praised the healthcare system in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Sabina Louis, via Facebook on Monday, September 30,2024, said she had to come to SVG as Saint Lucia did not have the equipment or expertise to help her one-month-old son, Saiyeem Valcin who was suffering from Hydrocephalus.

Saiyeem Valcin was treated under the World Paediatric Project (WPP) for his condition. Hydrocephalus, or “water on the brain,” is a condition associated with a build up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in or around the brain. If left untreated, this can lead to the brain tissue stretching, significantly affecting a child’s growth and development.

It is a serious condition and can be fatal, if left untreated. Fifty percent of those who fail to have hydrocephalus treated will die, while other half survive with what is called arrested hydrocephalus. Those who are not treated and survive may have serious brain damage and physical disabilities.

Explaining the situation, Louis said that in July this year in Saint Lucia, she decided to do a check up because the baby she was carrying was not moving, and after an ultra-sound, doctors informed her that her baby’s head was bigger than what is normal.

Louis said at that point she was 40 weeks pregnant, so she was admitted to hospital and on July 31, 2024, her baby was born but he was “very” pale and she was later informed that “he had extra fluid in the brain” hence the reason the baby’s head appeared bigger than normal during the ultra-sound.

The mother said she became worried at that point because she began wondering what would happen to her son and how his life would be.

“When he came out, he looked normal to me and the doctor told me I would not be able to see but due to their profession they can see because in my eye I’m seeing a perfect little boy,” Louis explained, while noting that her baby had to stay in hospital for observation because excess fluid in the brain can cause seizures and heart complications.

She said she stayed in the hospital for one month, went home for a week and then journeyed to SVG.

Louis said she was concerned about the cost because although she had medical insurance, she knew her son needed surgery and she was wondering if she would be able to pay.

She said the surgery in SVG was “absolutely free” and when she heard she did not have to pay for the WPP treatment in SVG, she was very thankful.

“Baby is healthy. I am very happy that I am going home with my son and I’m looking forward to him being happy and living a healthy life, and it touches my heart,” Louis said. She said the scar her son has is a testimony that there are good people and good missions “out there”.

Louis said she is thankful for the lifesaving surgery her son received in SVG, thanks to the WPP and their set-up at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) and the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre in Georgetown.

The most common hydrocephalus treatment is a shunt, a small piece of silicone tubing placed surgically inside the body to bypass a blockage or otherwise create a better flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

Louis said the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure found an abnormal ventricular vein and that caused the excess fluid in the brain of baby Saiyeem Valcin. The thankful mother said her baby’s procedure which, among other things, saw a tube about five to six feet long placed in his stomach, will allow him to live a healthy, normal life.

The mother, who is a self-employed, said the procedure could not be done in Saint. Lucia because they do not have the medical doctor or equipment to do so; she was placed on the WPP list and didn’t take long to receive the care her baby needed.

She said this is her second child, and first son, and she is very grateful.

“My time here in St Vincent was really well spent. I met some lovely people and I would like to say thank you…my time in St Vincent was good and I love it here,” Louis said via the Facebook post.

While in SVG, Louis met with Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, who said he was glad that she was able to get the procedure for her son free of cost in SVG.