10 Downing Street rescues Lee's wife

10 Downing Street rescues Lee's wife

SINGAPORE: Singapore authorities called on 10 Downing Street to rescue the wife of Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew from the pitfalls of Britain's public hospital system after she suffered a stroke in London, media reports said on Monday.

Singapore Airlines was also asked to help, turning one of its planes into an "airborne hospital" to quickly fly Mrs. Lee Kuan Yew out of London despite medical advice that it was safer to keep her there for three weeks, the reports said.

Singapore's newspapers ran front-page stories reporting comments Lee made on Sunday in which he recounted the events following his wife's stroke late on Saturday Oct. 26 while they were staying at the Four Seasons Hotel.

According to Lee, Singapore High Commissioner Michael Teo called 10 Downing Street at 2 a.m. on the Sunday for help, 90 minutes after she arrived at The Royal London Hospital.

Teo pleaded for official intervention after doctors at the hospital said Lee's wife would have to wait until 8:00 a.m. for a CT brain scan.

"Because of 10 Downing Street, the CT scan was done at 3:30 a.m. And then the blood clot could be seen clearly," The Straits Times quoted Lee as telling a community event. -- AFP