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New birthing beds have been ordered for the San Fernando General Hospital months after the Ministry of Health completed upgrades on a temporary labour suite.
This was revealed by acting chief executive officer of the South West Regional Health Authority Dr Albert Persaud during an exclusive interview with the T&T Guardian.
Asked to comment on overcrowding issues and bed shortages at the hospital Persaud said new beds have been ordered for the ward.
Saying the current bed shortage is being managed, Persaud said they were working on providing a newly-outfitted labour ward with enough birthing beds to make the experience more comfortable. Director of
Women’s Health Dr Adesh Sirjusingh said now that the Ministry of Health achieved zero maternal mortality for the first time, they were now working on reducing infant mortality in T&T.
He said when Deyalsingh came into office in October 2015, there were several maternal deaths so all stakeholders were invited to a meeting to look at ways to reduce mortality.
“Members of Pan American Health Organisation and the various RHA’s came together in November 2015 and took all existing recommendations make before which were not implemented to formulate a document to reduce mortality.
“We looked at policies rather than looking at high resources. We worked on having consultants more present in the labour ward, more training for staff and we reduced foetal and prenatal morbidity,” Sirjusingh said.
Minister Deyalsingh said he also planned to upgrade the neonatal information system which will allow neonatologists to access patient information instantly, on hand-held devices.
Saying this system will be piloted at the Sangre Grande Hospital, Deyalsingh also revealed that a new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will be built at the San Fernando and the Sangre Grande Hospitals while the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital’s NICU will be upgraded to international standards.
“We will continue to put a great focus on Women’s Health and by extension, maternal health facets as we aim to achieve a Healthy Me, a Healthy You and a Healthy T&T,” Deyalsingh said.
He noted that reduction of maternal mortality and infant mortality in the public health system were due to the establishment of the Directorate of Women’s Health in 2015.
Deyalsingh also said the NICU in the Port of Spain Hospital was now regarded as the best in the region, adding that the establishment of an antenatal registry, in November 2015, has to date over 8,000 patient records.
He noted that based on these advances, T&T has surpassed the Sustainable Development Goals for maternal mortality rates, twelve years before the allotted time frame (2030).