Toddler with COVID needs cash for medivac
(CNS): A local charity has made an appeal on behalf of a three-year-old child currently at the Cayman Islands Hospital suffering complications from COVID-19 as her family is unable to foot the bill to transport her to the United States for treatment. CNS has contacted the Health Services Authority and the Ministry of Health about the situation and we are awaiting a response.
It remains unclear why the child needs to be treated overseas, why the family has inadequate health insurance or why the government has not stepped in.
The toddler is said to have been in the hospital for more than three weeks suffering complications of COVID-19. But the information comes from just one source, an appeal on Cayman’s ATK social media to raise CI$28,000 for the medical evacuation and to help the child’s mother stay in Florida with her.
There are no indications if the child is suffering from other health-related issues but the Facebook post by the charity implies that the child needs emergency surgery which an unnamed hospital in Florida is said to have agreed to undertake and cover the cost.
“We just need to get the child and her mother safely there as quickly as possible and provide funds for the mother’s accommodation for at least two weeks. There is also an uninsured debt accruing at the hospital,” the charity added before detailing the ways people can donate.
The child is one of five patients who are currently hospitalised for COVID-related causes, three of whom are unvaccinated.
According to the latest Public Health figures, there are an estimated 476 active cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus across all three islands. Since Monday, there have been another six new cases reported to officials on the Sister Islands and another 87 on Grand Cayman.
The seven-day rolling average for 16 March was just 29 cases.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
something don’t smell right about this story….
The Health Insurance law requires approved providers [Section 5 of Regulations 2005 revision} to “donate” to the Health Insurance commission $5.00 per month of each premium charged under the SHIC contract from people with no defendants and $10.00 per month from people with defendants. These funds are to be paid to the Commission for payment into a segregated Insurance fund for use in such circumstances . I am unaware of any such case where the fund was used. I have never heard it mentioned in any Auditor Generals Report or in any other financial document . It would be helpful if the we followed the law and required such contributions to be used for cases such as the tow babies instead of having to open go fund me pages.
I hope this child will get the help it needs, but I wonder with so many hospitals and doctors in Grand Cayman, there are still no expertise to help this child locally?
3 weeks is a very long time for a child who is not getting better, meaning why wasn’t the child sent overseas sooner? Experience and expertise of medical professionals could mean life or death. Parents, family members of patients who do not respond to hospital therapies MUST get a second or third opinion as soon as possible.
When I lived in Cayman I was getting sicker and sicker. My Internist had run tests and scans, but finding nothing concluded that I have an anxiety. Now I want to emphasize the importance of the thorough physical examination of a patient, especially now, when TeleMed has replaced face to face contact with doctors. Back to my case, had my internist conducted a thorough examination she would have diagnosed me on my first visit. How many doctors check your heart rate in a standing position? How many doctors check you BP and HR in a supine, sitting and standing position consecutively? How many doctors look at your legs when they check your HR in a standing position?
Long story short, after couple of visits to Cayman ER, trip to Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL where a cardiologist could, but was negligent to diagnose me (later on they admitted the negligence and reimbursed mine and a family member’ out of pocket expenses including lost wages), I was lucky an experienced doctor was on duty on my last ER visit in Cayman who sent me to a cardiology specialist in Miami. Miami cardiology clinic doctor had me admitted to a hospital, 2 more tests were run and diagnosis was made.
I am forever grateful for Dr.Nelson who had experience and expertise to suspect a condition what was later confirmed in Miami hospital as accurate.
Now, I know so much about my condition, which is not rare after all, any doctor could diagnose it if they conducted a proper, thorough examination.
I want to conclude with a message: always have 2nd and if necessary 3d opinion if your loved one or a child is not recovering or getting worse. Change doctors, hospitals etc. DO SOMETHING, don’t wait.
Curious to know the issue so I can get checked for it because it’s ringing true…
Indeed. Over 15 years ago when I was barely in my teens I was also getting sicker and sicker over a few weeks (that quickly became months) but a well-known local doctor merely said it was the flu and gave me a shot, and a few other useless but invasive treatments.
With no change in my symptoms I went to one of our (then) 2 local hospitals where the well-known doctor who saw me said it was purely emotional / psychological and referred me to a well-known local psychologist who basically said I was depressed (simply because years earlier I just happened to have a few losses in the family) and causing myself to get sick, and gave me anti-depressants. I never went back (despite his insistence I return weekly) and threw away the meds.
Weeks go on and quite frankly I truly thought I was going to die due to the impact the illness was having on every aspect of my life. Luckily I finally found a doctor who was as able to provide a nearly-perfect diagnosis with only the most minimal of non-invasive tests conducted at his clinic. After a brief hospital stay to run more detailed tests (based on his recommendations) the diagnosis was refined to a chronic illness that essentially overlaps his original diagnosis.
A few months on minimal meds and a limited diet and I was fine, and have been for the past fifteen years (with only minimal adjustment to my lifestyle). If I hadn’t gone to see that last doctor honestly I don’t know if I would have survived.
21 Million to put sand back on Seven Mile Beach….sure, no problem! A few thousand to help save a child…..rely on the kindness of the public. Ridiculous.
Shows where the govt priorities are. Oh yeah, the money spent on that beach sand will just get moved by ocean currents and removed again.
I don’t understand how the government (CINICO) could spend two million dollars on one child’s treatment recently, but not step in to provide this child’s mother with the support she needs. Am I missing something?
This case is the child of a work permit holder. They have taken the government-mandated health insurance, only to find that in reality, it covers almost nothing, leaving the family basically uninsured when it comes to needing to claim for anything other than an aspirin.
A Caymanian child may be worth $2m but a non-Caymanian child is worthless to the government. It just reflects the feeling Caymanians have for the people they import to work for them. Inadequate pay, inadequate health insurance, and a total disregard for their wellbeing – all while berating them for being here, stealing Caymanian jobs and working for slave wages.
Nice.
Can you imagine the stress this family is going through- let alone the life of a precious 3 year old hung in the balance.
$28,000 is not a big ask – come on community- make a donation, however small. I do trust ARK that the funds will go to the stated need. Thank you
28k to get to miami then what? 280k?
This is quite sad and also ridiculous that on an island like this where there are so many privileged rich people that a little 3 year old girl is left to languish.
What bothers me even further that most of the comments on here believe this should be the Governments responsibility. Where is the private sector? Have they no empathy..In the grand scheme of things, they Chamber of Commerce boasts hundreds of companies that if they all pulled together even a thousand dollars each could to this in the matter of an hour. What about CITA who is always demanding the government does something for them? They make millions of dollars every day? 5 hotels and 5 restaurants could come up with these funds in less than one hour? How about if each bank or accounting firm were to give a few thousand dollars each? I only mention these few organizations but there are many organizations and companies that have gained millions of dollars in Cayman and on the backs of Caymanians and for none of them to come forward for this small act of kindness for this very ill child is sickening..Shame on all of you!
How much have you pledged?
I believe the money was raised within 2 days by donations from the public
I will pay for the child’s transport. Please provide an email address for me to contact you.
CNS: You can contact Cayman’s ARK here.
You Sir/Madam are a saint. While everyone questions why this isn’t done or that isn’t done you have shown true altruism. We can ask all the questions later, just get this little girl what she needs. It is not a lot of money to raise and should be easy for this community. Bless ARK for bring this to everyone’s attention.
Class right here. What a true human caring about another they have never met.
So kind. I hope the parents may now be at peace knowing that their child is going to have a chance. God bless.
Can I ask the question many people probably have? Is this 100% legitimate or a possible way to take people’s money?
I personally know that life-saving medivac services would not be refused.
Some of the details are very cryptic. I am happy to help out if all these details are factual.
yes agree.
The money is going to ARK an organisation that has helped many weather covid and storm damage. If it was a scam they would know.
Perhaps but their post said a Florida hospital had agreed to do the surgery at no cost, which rings sketchy from the start and proved not to be true.
Actually my own child had to wait a day for health insurance approval before medivac would come for him because they wanted to be paid first, so yeah they do refuse. This is a genuine appeal through Ark.
This all sounds very suspicious. I hope ARK haven’t been scammed. In my experience, the hospital fulfills their duty to treat every patient as best they can, and when they are unable to save a life they will arrange for that person to be flown overseas for life-saving treatment. Doctors make their decisions on what is best for the patient without considering their ability to pay in life or death situations. I personally know many indigent Caymanians who were sent overseas for treatment without insurance and no means of ever paying the bill. If the hospital isn’t pushing for it then it might not be urgent.
I regret that might be your wish but its not the same in reality. I had a friend a few years back in a very serious way in hospital following an accident. She needed an MRI scan but her insurance wasn’t adequate to cover it, and the hospital wouldn’t do it, or provide anything other than immediate care to preserve her life. Her friends all had to club together to pay for her MRI, but in the end, without insurance or a way to pay for care, she died as she didn’t get the treatment she needed. So I hear what you say, but if you are Caymanian, yes, you will be treated. If you are here on a work permit with the basic health insurance, once it runs out, so does your treatment.
Sometimes they even send you to Honduras to die. I wish I was making that up but it has happened at least once.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2009/03/10/poor-insurance-linked-to-death/
The basic insurance in Cayman is next to useless. People would be better paying for catastrophic insurance and not having nay day to day benefits.
As it is with the SHIC you pay every month and don’t really have coverage if something bad happens.
Unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to have just catastrophic insurance here-I looked into it a few years ago, as I would do this for my own family. The SHIC insurance is definitely inadequate, but the next level up is so much more expensive that it is unaffordable for most. In addition, my own insurer states that only those in management positions are permitted to level up their insurance(a whole separate issue that should be addressed), unless I choose to move everyone up. I would love to do this, but my company would be out of business immediately.
I’m sure if this this other “treatment” was necessary the doctors here would have already sent her.
Free healthcare for all v CIG daily wages $1,500,000
13 Dislikes from the useless CIG freeloading employees
Ministry of Health, With all the millions given away to locals and foreigners among us due to COVID19, I am praying this is not a Caymanian child in need and has to wait on donations from the public. Please help this child, she was inflicted by this deadly demon and no fault of theirs. Cayman needs FREE health care for its children and seniors .
I pray for her recovery, but how many of her family and close visitors were not vaccinated?? Yea, this will not be a popular question. Logic eludes Cayman.
Why should nationality make any difference you idiot?
Hey 6:03, so if it’s the child of an expat it’s not as important and worthy of your prayer?
Caymanian or not, if a 3 year old is in need of urgent healthcare the ministry of health needs to step up!
Let’s not lose sight of what we’ve been through these past two years.
So you are praying its a foreigner?
Why did your god let this little 3 year old child get COVID?
I pay an average of $280 per month for employees heath care. That works out to $3360 per year per full time employee. Which on a 2000 hour work year is $1.68 per hour. Really we cannot implement decent healthcare for our citizens? Yes, it is true none of my employees have dependents, so I cannot speak to the case with this child. But what I do know is CINICO for non government users is pretty much useless. It covers almost nothing. Can’t we revamp the coverage and get some better results?
I am retired and have a SINGLE Asthma medication that costs $653.00 a month. My Asthma is not bad. Just how medical coverage is poor.
Do you have health insurance? If you are a senior Caymanian that cannot get coverage the govt is supposed to step in.
I have severe asthma but with insurance my 4 meds costs me about $50 per month
We need one national health insurance cover to stop private health insurance ripping people off for profits.
Who’s going to run it “Gowermunt”….??? You gotta be joking – Cayman Islands National Bank and any and all of the over Cayman resident funded black holes such as Cayman Airways, Airports Authority etc., etc. et al.
It would become a slush fund for corrupt poli-trikans, corrupt employees and we could write the Auditor General’s report right now for what would be requested in 5 years time…”no proper oversight, no audit trail, sub-standard management, inappropriate use of company credit cards (which were never paid back)…etc..
NO THANK YOU! Keep it private.
Idk, I think we need a bigger umbrella. Right now we have useless garbage insurance for the majority of low income earners and decent insurance for high wage earners. Can’t we seek a balance?
So glad we are not wasting public funds on foolishness. Who needs health care, or an education when we can spend millions on closing roads and putting up a few benches.
To be fair a lack of spending on education isn’t the problem. We spend more per pupil than every other country on earth bar one.
Nonsense.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/238733/expenditure-on-education-by-country/#:~:text=Out%20of%20the%20OECD%20countries,U.S%20dollars%20on%20tertiary%20education.
Nonsense? Can’t help but notice your link contains no details on Caymans costs. Your link says Luxembourg spends the most at $21K to $25k for primary to secondary education. Auditor Generals review showed 2019 spend in Cayman at CI$86million for 4856 students in public school, or an average of US$21.6K. And apparently the education budget in 2021 is now $200 million. Doesn’t sound like nonsense to me.
I think maybe you need to go back to school.
“The average annual cost per student increased by 17% over the 5 years, from $14,811 in 2014 to $17,264 in 2018.
The average cost per student in public schools was 66% higher than the average cost per student in private schools.
The average cost per student in public schools was the 2nd-highest cost per student in 2015, when compared to 33 OECD countries. (Only Luxembourg was higher.”
https://www.caymancurrent.org/2021/01/23/analysis-the-per-student-cost-of-cayman-islands-schools/#:~:text=At%20a%20cost%20of%20%245%2C891,%2Dleast%2Dexpensive%20school%20overall.
Duh!
PACT should be paying for this. It’s thier disaster of a reopening why this child is sick. They dont even have the b*lls to face the caymanian people.
No the antivaxxers and the quarantine breakers should pay
YES!
YEP!
I guess one idiotic comment deserves another. Well done.
Stupid remark. You have no idea how this child was infected. Unvaccinated family? School mates from unvaccinated family? Stop the illogical accusations – you have no idea of the facts.
I pray for this child.
You do realize that jabbed can receive and transmit covid right? If an expat, the expat family has been forced to get the jab. How’s that illegal foolish policy working out for you?
The “vaccine” does not prevent anyone from contracting or spreading the virus. It is now clearly documented, scientific fact. So stop the blatant shaming of anyone who chose not to get the jab. Please for the love of GOD stop the incessant harassment.
However it does greatly reduce the chances of a bad outcome which surely this is…