Mt Hope patients sent to Cocorite

The breakdown has cost the North-Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) several thousand dollars for the private dialysis for three weeks, while repairs are done on the non-functioning machine.

Last week, the patients were notified via letter of the arrangement by the ag Clinical Director of the Dialysis Unit, Dr Hughley Hanoman and ag Complex Administrator Davlin Thomas.

The letter stated, “our Haemodialysis Unit is unable to accommodate any acute patients from our Wards. However, EWMSC would like to provide dialysis to these patients who critically need it at this time due to their unstable condition.

It is not possible for these patients to be transferred out of our hospital to the private institutions, since they have no access.”

The patients were advised that arrangements were made for the stable and chronic patients to be treated at the Community Hospital.

“This is purely a temporary arrangement, made with the aim of providing necessary medical attention to all our patients,” the letter continued.

In an interview on Monday, Thomas told Newsday the pump for the malfunctioning machine (which was ordered from abroad) is in TT and should be delivered to the EWMSC next week.

He said sending the patients to the Community Hospital was a “stop gap measure” until the machine is up and running “by next week.”