PM Kamla's grandson stable, will stay in hospital for observation and tests

PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar with her grandson in a Christmas 2010 photo

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's grandson, Kristiano Bissessar, 5, is responding well to treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital. However doctors decided Monday to keep him at the Pediatric Ward overnight for observation.

Kristiano was taken to the hospital Sunday afternoon with Dengue symptoms.

The Chairman of the South West Regional Health Authority, Dr Lakram Bodoe, said Kristiano's condition is stable.

Initial tests done on Monday show that the child does not have Dengue. However since he is showing clinical signs of the fever doctors will continue to monitor his condition for at least another 24 hours and administer IV fluids.

Dr Bodoe told reporters health personnel will do further blood tests on Tuesday.

In a related development, Dr Bodoe dismissed a charge made by the chairman of the PNM's San Fernando East constituency, Tina Gronlund-Nunez. She claimed that the hospital displaced a child with a heart condition to make room for the Prime Minister's grandchild.

Bodoe told reporters he checked and did not find any eveidence to support that claim. "To the best of my knowledge that never happened. There is no evidence to suggest this. When the Prime Minister's grandson was admitted yesterday (Sunday) there was a vacant bed so no other child was displaced," Bodoe said .

He also said there is no overcrowding at the Paediatric Unit, noting that 75 children under the age of 12 were admitted at the hospital for dengue this year.