The Georgetown Public Hospital has managed to procure a very expensive medication for Stacyann Van Rossum, the single mother who lost her ability to walk.
The medication, Riluzole, was handed over to Stacyann on Monday and she will immediately start the treatment for her rare condition.
Dr Amarnauth Dukhi, Guyana’s top neurosurgeon, on Monday told the News Room that 180 of the tablets were procured and Stacy will have to visit his clinic on a monthly basis for a check-up.
In February, Dr Dukhi and his team at the Georgetown Public Hospital diagnosed Stacy with a rare neurological disease that affects the motor neurons. Since then, the hospital, on the direct orders from President Dr Irfaan Ali, started the process of procuring the medication from the United States of America (USA).
Stacy, a resident of Mocha, East Bank Demerara, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Riluzole will be used to treat the rare disease and prevent the further progression of the disease.
Dr Dukhi previously explained that his team will start with the drug usage and then add more medication to her treatment. The treatment will be a lengthy one but it should help her to be less uncomfortable. Importantly, Dr Dukhi said regardless of which part of the world she sought this treatment, the riluzole medication would be used.
The single mother lost her ability to walk in 2020 and despite numerous visits to several doctors over the years, they were unable to diagnose her.
Soon after she publicly shared her story, the government stepped in to provide her with free medical assistance.
