NCRHA external, visits preventative primary health care

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the objective is to reduce the number of visits to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department by people with NCDs. “Many of our resources in A&E are taken up by people with chronic diseases (such as) uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension and they present in an emergency situation.

What we are trying to do now; as part of the PNM manifesto on primary health care, is to track those patients and treat them in their homes before it becomes an emergency.” The minister said this would achieve four things. “Patients have a better quality of life, their conditions are better managed because they are getting primary health care at home, it decreases the demand for A&E (services) and it decreases the demand for acute bed space.” The WTTP is also being undertaken “to some extent” at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

“I want to focus this initiative at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and at SFGH because that’s where the burden of NCDs is the greatest in the country. (From their homes), those patients can get their blood pressure checked, get advice and be told how to manage their conditions, so they don’t present at A&E.” Deyalsingh was speaking with reporters at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital, EW MSC, Mt Hope yesterday after visiting first-time mom, Evanna Peters, who gave birth to a girl at 12.01 am on Mother’s Day.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NCRHA, Davlin Thomas, said the WTTP “creates (temporary) hospitals of churches, mosques, temples (where) we see hundreds of people for preventative medical screening.” Adding to this, the minister recalled that during one of their first such screenings; held at the Curepe Presbyterian Church, Curepe, “We picked up a young boy, seven-years-old, who had acute stomach pain.” “It turned out to be appendicitis. If that wasn’t picked up and he wasn’t rushed immediately here (EW MSC) to have his appendix removed” he paused before saying, “We saved a life.” Deyalsingh said there are such interventions taking place, thanks to Government’s promotion of primary health care intervention.