Govt and Johns Hopkins are partners in health

The collaboration, being done through the University of Trinidad and Tobago, would allow the premier US health institution to provide management for existing hospitals in TT and to assist with proposals for the establishment of a new modern hospital in the capital city.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Rahael said a joint team would develop programmes of health care and service delivery, research and education which would enhance the local health sector, and in the region as a whole.

He said the following areas had been identified for this "programme of excellence" — 1) infrastructural development involving the establishment of an academic medical institution (another PoS hospital); 2) development of comprehensive clinical programmes; 3) management programmes for existing medical facilities, including Port-of-Spain and San Fernando General Hospitals, and research based activities.

He said the North American model would be used by John Hopkins.

Rahael said a joint advisory council would be established to oversee, manage and plan the implementation and delivery of the programme.

The council members would be selected by John Hopkins, the UTT, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education. The work programme will be submitted to Government by January 2006, he said, adding that a "master plan in health administration" would be formulated with September 2006 as the starting date. Rahael said the plan would also assist to identify companies in the area of pharmaceutical, diagnostic and medical devices that may be interested in establishing such facilities locally.