(Trinidad Express) After spending almost a week in the Intensive Care Unit at the Arima Hospital being treated for Covid-19, former district medical officer Dr Vinod Mahabir died yesterday (Wednesday) morning.
Sources close to his family said Mahabir was fully vaccinated, but had been battling pre-existing medical conditions.
They said he came down with a cough two weeks ago.
Relatives encouraged him to get tested and he took a Covid test, which was positive.
Mahabir was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Arima Hospital last Wednesday night.
The husband of former Independent senator Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir, Dr Mahabir established a private medical practice along the Eastern Main Road in Arouca.
Four months ago his younger brother, Dr Dhiyan Mahabir, consultant at the San Fernando General Hospital, also died of complications related to Covid-19.
Penal-born Vinod Mahabir was one seven siblings and one of four medical practitioners in a family encouraged by their father, a former principal at a Maha Sabha school in Penal.
He was district medical officer of St George East.
Dr Mahabir studied medicine at Kerala University in India.
Former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine recalled yesterday that in 2012 he met the Maharaja of Jhodpur at his palace.
“He told me Dr Vinod Mahabir was his dear friend and they had known each other for many years.”
MP for St Augustine Khadijah Ameen said he treated four generations of her family. “Every time I visited him, we would also have hearty talks about the politics, things on the national agenda and the state of the country,” she said in a statement.
Dr Joel Teelucksingh also paid tribute to Dr Mahabir, saying: “He was like an older brother to me. It’s a tragic loss for our fraternity. May he rest in peace.”
He also served as executive member of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha for over 40 years.
Vijay Maharaj of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha hailed Dr Mahabir as “humanistic, superhuman”, and the man who saved his son’s life some months ago.
