Saturday, April 4 2009

The US Embassy has sent an e-mail to Health Minister Jerry Narace indicating that any medical decision regarding president Barack Obama’s medical treatment would be “in the hands of his physicians,” but if it became necessary “local hospital care would be sought” while he is in Trinidad for the Summit of the Americas.

The e-mail sent yesterday to the Health Ministry was released by the minister’s office to the media. According to Deputy Head of Mission Len Kusnitz, in recent days the embassy received queries about whether Obama would be treated locally should he need medical care.

“I would like to clarify to you that while we do not deal in hypotheticals, and any medical decision would be in the hands of his physicians should emergency care be needed for any member of the visiting US delegation, including the president, our expectation is that local hospital care would be sought.”

Last month, Narace said the US Embassy contacted the Health Ministry to indicate it had “full confidence” in the capacity of the local health system to take care of the US president who will be attending the summit.

“They have gone as far as saying that if something happened to President Obama they would expect he would be treated in Trinidad and Tobago by our health care system and they are going to put out a statement,” Narace said. He gave this response when asked about the information at the US Department of State website which advised persons visiting TT to insure they had “comprehensive travel and medical insurance” since “medical care is limited compared to that in the United States.”

The ministry subsequently issued a memorandum from the office of the Chief Medical Officer indicating that it was a delegation from the US at a meeting on March 8 which had indicated “they expect that the health services of TT will be used to provide care for the President of the USA, if this becomes necessary.”

On Tuesday, the embassy’s public affairs officer Michelle Jones said the US does not endorse any country’s health system and would not be issuing a statement as president Obama will be accompanied by a medical team. The presidential aircraft Air Force One is equipped with an operating table and pharmacy. It will also have a supply of Obama’s AB blood type in case of any emergency.