Why did CT scanners fail?

Responding to a question from Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie about them, Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Richard Madray replied, “I don’t think that there is a reasonable explanation.” Tewarie posed his question to Madray and other ministry officials during a public inquiry at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre.

He asked whether this situation could have been the result of system failure, sabotage or poor monitoring. Ministry project manager Ronald Koylass said the problems with the scanners at each of the hospitals could have been the “combination of some of those things.” On Tuesday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh outlined what was being done to remedy the scanner problems.

Koylass also said bio-medical engineering units at each of the country’s regional health authorities (RHAs) had a responsibility to monitor medical equipment at each RHA. When Tewarie asked if a failure to monitor led to the CT scanner problems, Koylass replied, “I am not saying that.” While admitting that medical equipment was always vulnerable to breakdowns, Koylass said there should be, “monitoring of service contracts and the provision of quality service being provided on major medical equipment equipment.” Tewarie said this was important in light of close to $16 billion being allocated to the health sector from 2015 to 2017. Koylass also told Tewarie two new air-conditioning units at the Sangre Grande Hospital would be installed this fiscal year.

Madray told PAC members about the need for “a strong centre” within the health sector. He said the absence of this had the “potential for dysfunction and even the potential for chaos,” as the different RHAs would act independently of each other. He also said different RHAs paid different rates for the same position.