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Plans to find a role for Dr. Velma Scantlebury

by Barbados Today Traffic
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Steps are being taken by officials at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) to advance and enhance health care in Barbados, especially as it relates to treating patients suffering with kidney disease.

Serious dialogue has been rekindled with QEH health professionals and world-renowned Barbadian transplant specialist Dr. Velma Scantlebury, about utilizing her vast experience in the field. This initiative is as a result of an intervention by Barbados’ Consul General to New York, Mackie Holder.

Dr. Scantlebury, originally from Westbury Road, St. Michael, is the first black female transplantation surgeon. With more than 2000 kidney transplants, among other transplants, to her name, she is widely regarded as a ‘rock star’ in medicine in the USA.

She arrives in Barbados on Wednesday on holiday, but will pick up conversations started on Zoom this year, and meet with officials and officers of the QEH, and representatives of the Forlam Foundation, the charity devoted to fighting chronic diseases, and others.

Discussions will be on matters related to transplantation, including the need to sensitise the public about the benefits of transplants as well as enhancing education about healthy choices and diets.

Dr. Scantlebury, who said she was excited about the latest developments, will realise a life-long dream if she is able to give back to her homeland. She has been trying to get involved in a programme in Barbados for a considerable time, having had talks with then Minister of Health Dr. Jerome Walcott as far back as 2007. He in turn had put forward plans for a framework of governing legislation intending to cover live and after-life organ donations.

Prior to the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is understood that the Ministry of Health was in the process of finalising legislation to present a framework for transplantation in Barbados.

Dr. Scantlebury, who is now officially retired, reiterated her willingness to assist Barbados in any way possible, from public education to helping devise protocols, to advising on surgeries and using her connections.

Consul General Holder said he, like most in the Diaspora, was perplexed that so far Barbados has been unable to utilise the amazing talents of Dr. Scantlebury. Holder said he had initiated conversations in 2019 with both the QEH and The University of the West Indies and Dr. Scantlebury, which had fizzled out. But he added he was very optimistic that this time around some accommodation would be found
for Dr. Scantlebury’s talents.

Dr. Scantlebury has received numerous honours acknowledging her stellar career, including the Gold Crown of Merit by the Government of Barbados. She was recently inducted as a Delaware History Maker, the first African American female to receive the honour. President Joe Biden is a member of this select group.

Her journey from poor Barbadian to history maker is captured in her autobiography, Beyond Every Wall: Becoming the First Black Female Transplant Surgeon. (PR)

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