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Chief executive officer of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) Wendy Ali yesterday dismissed reports that ailing patients of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital were being hastily discharged from the health institution to make room for relocated patients of the hospital’s Central Block.
Her comments came after reports surfaced that relatives of patients warded at the Port-of- Spain General Hospital had challenged the decision by hospital authorities to discharge a number of patients to make room of others transferred from the Central Block.
Last Thursday, the NWRHA decanted 122 patients of the hospital’s Central Block after the Urban Development Corporation of T&T promised to undertake remedial works on the building after it suffered damage during last Tuesday’s 6.9 magnitude earthquake.
Most of the patients were shifted to the hospital’s North Block.
Ali said between Monday and yesterday the hospital discharged 14 patients.
“My doctors are quite satisfied that these people (patients) were ready to go home. We would not discharge a patient unless we believe that they are medically fit to be discharged. I spoke to the medical director and manager of quality in here and nobody has any reports of that. Nothing officially has come to us.”
She admitted that the hospital continues to identify “more bed spaces” on the North Block.
“We are actively monitoring our bed usage that we have. We could afford to admit patients. What we are doing is managing our bed bureau properly, in that, we will look at other spaces we have identified.
We don’t expect the limited spaces to last very long. We are working aggressively in creating new ward spaces.”
Soon, she said new wards will be opened. On Monday, Ali said the NWRHA sent one patient to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for treatment.
“Since that time we have sent no further patients by ambulance to Eric Williams Medical. If you come through our Accident and Emergency department you will stay at Port-of-Spain General Hospital.”