Number of Vincentian cases still unknown

The number of Vincentians who received overdoses of radiation at the Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre in Trinidad and Tobago is still unknown.{{more}}

When contacted on Wednesday, July 27, Minister of Health Cecil McKie told SEARCHLIGHT that the Ministry of Health had made contact with officials at the Cancer Treatment Centre right after the news of patients being exposed to excess radiation broke, but they were informed that there were no Vincentians among the 223 affected persons.

However, with reports surfacing that Vincentians did in fact receive treatment during the period when the machine was miscalibrated, McKie said that his Ministry would now have to reactivate the investigation.

“This is a surprise to me now,” McKie stated.

“Public records will not indicate if any Vincentians were treated at the Centre. However, now that the issue has been raised, we will have to go back and let them know that they misinformed us,” he added.

He went on to advise Vincentians who may have received treatment at the facility within the time specified to contact the Ministry of Health.

“Based on the information we receive from affected persons, we will then be able to make an assessment how we go forward from there,” McKie said.

When contacted and asked to give the number of affected Vincentians, Avalon Duncan, coordinator of the Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre, said that she could not give a figure.

She said that the information would have to be sourced from the Centre’s patient records, and based on patient confidentiality, she could not disclose such information.

She, did, however, say that every person who received treatment during the period was subjected to a proper evaluation.

“We sent out letters and contacted persons who may have been affected last year,” Duncan explained.

She further contended that all affected persons were made aware, and patients were brought in for a proper diagnosis of the side effects of a radiation overdose.

This process turned up 5 persons with known side effects, Duncan disclosed.

“When some of the persons came in claiming to have side effects, some of it was unrelated, some of it was to be expected, so we did a proper evaluation,” she explained.

She further explained that the centre tried to contact as many individuals as possible, and they were treated with as much equity as was possible.

She, however, made a request for persons who may have been treated at anytime between June 4, 2009, and June 13, 2010, to contact the facility. (DD)