Valdeen Shears-Neptune
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, meanwhile, is calling on the private sector to partner with the Government to make the $1.5 billion Couva Children’s Hospital accessible to the public.
Deyalsingh said, while he too wanted to see citizens benefit from use of the hospital, the Government had been “left with no budget and no staffing plan,” to have the institution operational.
He also said the Government had no plans to attach a cost to public healthcare.
In earlier reports, Deyalsingh stated that the facility, which was opened on August 14, by former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, weeks before the election, was never to be commissioned this year as this would necessitate having all its equipment and staff in place.
With this in mind, Deyalsingh yesterday called for corporate T&T to submit proposals and cited a similar system which was already in place and working.
The Government, he said, would provide a state-of-the-art building, while the interested companies would provide the staff, funding and additional necessary equipment to have the hospital up and running.
He also slammed the country’s high levels of so-called lifestyle diseases. There’s pressure on the system to provide bed space for amputees and people suffering from diseases brought on by bad lifestyle habits.
Part of the fair included consultation between amputees and Peter King, a US-based licensed orthotist.
Retired T&T Guardian employee, Bertrand Matthews, 60, was yesterday informed by King that he was an ideal candidate for the device. Matthews, 65, lost his right leg last year due to diabetes. Kamlla Rangoo, 57, of Rousillac, also lost her right leg a year ago to diabetes.
“The cost is US$5,000 and upwards, so if I can get one through Government it will ease up my family,” she said.