Cabinet will be the body to decide on paying transport costs if former prime minister Patrick Manning has to travel overseas for medical attention for what has been diagnosed as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said yesterday prior to Parliament.
Manning, 69, has been warded at the San Fernando General Hospital since Monday, initially for a high fever. He was diagnosed on Thursday with AML, an aggressive form of cancer. His wife Hazel posted the diagnosis on his Facebook page yesterday with a banner headline, "(Love) and Prayers for Patrick Manning."
Yesterday, a number of MPs in Parliament expressed concern about Manning when reporters sought their views.
Opposition MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh said from his oncological experience, AML was a cancer of the lymphatic system which affected the blood platelets, bone marrow and spleen and also affected the body's ability to fight infections.
"It will require intensive discussions with the family and the appropriate medications, ... it's not insurmountable," Gopeesingh said, adding chemotherapy was the first line of treatment.
"That decision will be with the family, but hopefully that will arrest some of the difficulty and help him move forward depending on what happens. I wish Mr Manning receives the strength to deal with what he is encountering and I wish Hazel and his two boys get the strength to support him."
Since it is traditional for the State to bear the costs of healthcare for leaders and former leaders, reporters asked Deyalsingh what would apply if Manning has to be taken overseas for treatment–as was being speculated in some quarters yesterday. Deyalsingh said he couldn't make that decision since that would be a Cabinet decision.
Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said, "It's a sad state of affairs regarding the news about Mr Manning. He's served in a public capacity as prime minister for decades ... as a servant of the people, so our prayers are with him and his family at this trying time.
"When I first heard he'd been hospitalised I thought he'd be out shortly, but now hearing the diagnosis, I think our prayers will be more needed for his comfort and recovery."
Housing Minister Randall Mitchell, who succeeded Manning as San Fernando East MP, said, "Everyone is saddened by it. All we can do now is hope he is healed or hope for better news and we continue to pray he recovers. Constituency members tried to visit him but he can't have any visitors, so we're liaising with Mrs Manning and she's giving us the news as she gets it.
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (MP of the adjoining San Fernando West seat) said his prayers were with Manning and his family.
"I"m a San Fernandian and I've known Mr Manning my whole life. His two sons, Brian and David, are friends of mine.
"It's a very telling statement for Mrs Manning to have published his condition and that is a call for prayer, a very positive thing. I invite everyone to send positive vibes to him, good wishes and strong prayer for his recovery. God willing, he'll have a smooth run through it, we'll continue to keep him in our thoughts."