By Neto Baptiste
There has been no change in the medical condition of former national and Parham FC defender, Eustace Wesley “Barba” Ferrance, who remains in a coma after reports that he could be suffering from viral encephalitis or inflammation of the brain caused by a virus.
This is according to Stanfield Ferrance, brother of the former player, who said efforts to send him off to Trinidad for medical attention has been delayed as they await a letter from a medical doctor that is taking quite some time to acquire.
“Since he was released or discharged from the hospital, he has been unconscious, on oxygen and he was placed in the hospice. The family is trying to get him off to Trinidad but there has been some challenges and we’re down to the last challenge which is the referral letter from the doctor,” he said.
“It has proven a tremendous challenge because there were three doctors involved in this operation and the buck has been passing back and forth. One doctor has been saying that it is not his responsibility, and the other one is also saying that it is not his responsibility, but for insurance purposes that letter has to be released or the insurance won’t pay, it’s that simple, so we have been waiting on that for a long time and we were promised today [September 17] that by today we’d have it,” he added.
Stanfield confirmed that his brother remains at the St. John’s Hospice and that anyone wanting to assist by contributing to his medical expenses could do so through the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA).
“I had previously spoken with Mr. Gonsalves from the football association, and he had agreed to receive funding from patrons and I think that so far, he had received two instalments from people I know but so far, that is the plan. We were sort of waiting until everything wraps up and then we could get this drive on, but until or unless this letter is released and he can move, then there is just no need to be collecting people’s funds and all of that,” he said.
Eustace won several Premier Division titles with the Parham Football Club in the 90s and is heralded as one of the smoothest defenders in the game during his tenure.