Cabinet brings back the CRHA

Cabinet has agreed to split the North West Regional Health Authority into two RHAs — a NWRHA and a Central Regional Health Authority. In explaining the rationale behind the move, Health Minister John Rahael explained that the current NWRHA had become too cumbersome and too large for effective management. He said government had decided to revert to the original system, which would see two RHAs managing the health facilities which currently fall under the jurisdiction of the NWRHA. He recalled that when the RHAs were first established in 1994, there were five RHAs which included a North East Regional Health Authority and a Central Regional Health Authority. However in 2000 the UNC administration merged the Central Regional Health Authority into the NWRHA “without any proper planning or consideration.”

He said since then there had been serious problems with the management of this RHA. Rahael said the NWRHA will now comprise the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, St Ann’s Hospital, St James Medical Complex and the following health centres — Oxford St, Woodbrook, Diego Martin, George St, Maraval, Morvant, Barataria, Laventille, El Socorro, Maracas Valley, Petit Valley, La Fillette, Santa Cruz, San Juan, Aranguez, Carenage and La Vegas. The CRHA, which will be created in time for the start of the financial year, will consist of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) and the Mount Hope Maternity Hospital, the Arima District Hospital and Health Centre, Caura Chest Hospital and the following health centres — La Helena Health Centre, St Joseph, Maracas/St Joseph, Freeport, Cunupia, Arouca, Talparo, San Raphael, Blanchisseuse, Brasso Seco, Tacarigua, Macoya, Tunapuna, Chaguanas, La Horquetta and Maloney.

He said there will be a CEO for each RHA. Rahael stated that the Cabinet agreed that the office of each RHA must be as close as possible, if not in the same compound as the major hospital which falls within its region. This would mean the NWRHA management and board, which is currently located at the EWMSC, will be relocated to the PoS General Hospital, the largest hospital of the North West region, “so that they would be close to where work is being done.” Similarly the management and Board of the CRHA will be based at the EWMSC.