CABINET MINISTER Denis Lowe was last night reported to be in very serious condition after being admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MIDU) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Up to Press time, no official statement had been issued about the minister’s condition, but the WEEKEND NATION spoke to several of his Cabinet colleagues who confirmed that he was indeed “very ill”.
The precise nature of his illness however remained unclear, but one official who had been in contact with doctors attending to Lowe said the problem seemed to be “respiratory”.
“I cannot say exactly what the problem is, but it is very serious. I can say he did not suffer from any heart attack as some have been saying. There is also talk of a blood clot to the lungs, but from my information it is a respiratory problem,” said the official.
Lowe, Minister of Environment, Water Resources and Drainage, who has been ailing for several weeks, was rushed to the QEH in the early afternoon and remained in the Accident & Emergency Department for several hours before being admitted to the MIDU. Prior to the Cabinet reshuffle at the end of September, Lowe served as Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Urban Development.
Late yesterday, he was visited by Minister of Health Donville Inniss and chairman of the QEH board Reverend Guy Hewitt. Inniss said afterwards that his colleague was receiving the best medical care and that he and his colleagues were hoping for a “speedy recovery”.
However, medical sources indicated that Lowe was indeed “very ill” and any recovery would likely take months.
Lowe has been out of the spotlight since late October, but has been at his office for some meetings, the most recent being two weeks ago.
His last public appearance was in Parliament for the November 22 Budget presentation. He took ill the following day and was unable to participate in the debate.
Sources in his ministry said he had been working from home ever since that day, and when he did make that brief appearance a few weeks ago, he had lost significant weight and “was visibly sick”.
Family members, who have been caring for him in recent weeks, could not be reached for comment last night.
