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