Red Cross gets medical vehicles from Repsol

HEALTH MINISTER John Rahael hailed the donation of four fully-equipped medical vehicles by Spanish energy company Repsol YPF as timely, given the recent arrival of the first new ambulances in Trinidad and Tobago for the Emergency Health Services (EHS).

Speaking at a hand-over ceremony at the TT Red Cross Society headquarters in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Rahael stated: “This generous donation comes at a time when the Ministry of Health, through support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has purchased 40 brand new, fully equipped, right-hand drive ambulances to enhance the country’s emergency medical response programme. The purchase of these vehicles, together with these four vehicles to the Red Cross, forms part of the first stage or the level one response to emergency medical care.”

Two weeks ago, Rahael told Newsday that seven UNDP-donated ambulances had arrived in TT and would soon be turned over to the EHS. The agreement to supply these ambulances was initiated by Rahael’s predecessor, Colm Imbert. The Minister said the “level two response” will be to upgrade the skills of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who operate these ambulances from basic to intermediate level. “This will ensure that the EMTs are capable of providing adequate care for patients before they arrive at the Accident and Emergency Departments at the hospitals,” he said.

The Minister then revealed that Government proposes to establish a National Emergency Ambulance Authority that will be governed by a Board of directors which will be appointed by President George Maxwell Richards. “The authority shall be responsible for coordinating a national emergency service that will include land, air and sea emergency responses. This will enhance our capability to respond to any national medical emergency,” Rahael declared.

The Minister also praised Repsol for sponsoring specific programmes in the area of HIV/AIDS in TT and noted similar recent initiatives by the Ministries of Health and Education. Repsol YPF president Alfonso Cortina expressed his company’s satisfaction to provide assistance in the area of health care.  Repsol currently has an agreement with the Spanish Red Cross through which maritime rescue operations are carried out and is also undertaking health-related initiatives in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The vehicles donated yesterday were two ambulances and two multi-purpose support vehicles.