San F’do Hospital gets 110-bed new ward

HEALTH Minister John Rahael has described the spanking new 110- bed general surgery and orthopaedic ward at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH), as a “first world health facility” which would significantly improve quality health care in south. Rahael yesterday was addressing the official opening ceremony of the new ward, a function which Prime Minister Patrick Manning was scheduled to attend. Manning, however, was engaged in more pressing matters which included yesterday’s sitting of Parliament. Rahael called on doctors and other medical professionals, to treat their patients as they would treat themselves.

San Fernando West MP, Diane Seukeran, South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA’s) chairman Imitaz Ahamad and SFGH’s Medical Chief of Staff, Dr Austin Trinidade, also attended the opening. Rahael said, “I would like you to give to your patients the kind of treatment that you yourselves would like to receive.” With additional staff needed to man the new ward, Rahael said some 1,142 local nurses were presently undergoing various levels of training, at several nursing institutions throughout the country. The minister announced that a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing would also be offered at the University of West Indies (UWI).

Rahael said that the shortage of qualified medical staff was a worldwide issue. He cited UK’s nursing staff, which he said comprised almost 50 percent foreign personnel. Rahael said that the new ward, which is fully equipped with state-of-the-art surgical and recovery facilities, including 11 same-day surgical chairs, would also significantly reduce the waiting list for surgeries at SFGH. SFGH, Rahael said, was already the leading hospital with the most amount of surgeries performed on a daily basis.

Rahael said that one of the major challenges facing the hospital’s management, was ensuring the proper maintenance of the ward. He revealed that the institution had been earmarked to receive a MRI machine within the next few months. Rahael expressed hope that the waiting time for MRI scans, would be reduced to a 24-hour period. The opening of the ward marked the first phase of the hospital’s major upgrade project. A laboratory, pharmacy and a new mortuary, will complete the second phase. Trinidade welcomed the addition of the new ward saying that he expected increased productivity, given the modern facilities. Also attending the function was Mayor Ian Atherly and SWRHA CEO, Mike Harris.