Rahael targets fibroid surgeries

HEALTH MINISTER John Rahael disclosed on Thursday that clearing the surgical backlog of persons suffering from fibroids (benign tumours of muscular or fibrous tissues, one or more of which may develop on the wall of the uterus) will be the next area of priority for his Ministry. The Minister expressed satisfaction with ongoing efforts to clear the surgical backlogs where cataracts and other ailments were concerned, and said the Ministry will soon be turning its attention to fibroid surgeries. Speaking at Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Rahael said approximately 47 cataract surgeries will be performed at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital this weekend and the operations will continue “until we reduce the entire waiting lists for cataract surgery.”

A similar number of cataract surgeries were performed last weekend. In March, Government launched a $10 million initiative with the Opthalmological Society of Trinidad and Tobago to undertake 3,000 cataract surgeries this year and establish a state-of-the art eye surgical theatre at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC). The Goodwill Programme, established by the North West Regional Health Authority and Medcorp Ltd to assist needy persons on hospital lists for same day surgeries, started on May 1 and to date, over 20 successful procedures have been performed. Rahael is optimistic an agreement will be reached with private hospitals to help reduce the surgical backlog at the nation’s hospitals “before the end of the year.”

In April, the Minister said that the waiting list for paediatric heart surgery had been eliminated and focus was being put on adult open heart surgery.  Efforts are being made to bring Cuban specialists to TT for short periods to undertake specialised procedures, such as tissue transplants and cardiac surgery, and to train local doctors how to perform these operations. On Thursday, Rahael announced that 75 underprivileged children with physical deformities will benefit from a programme of free orthopaedic and cosmetic surgery provided from June 19 - 27 at the EWMSC by the American non-governmental organisation, Operation Rainbow.