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| PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar: “Development must not be purely city-centric." |
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced on Wednesday that cabinet has approved the hiring of 70 Cuban health professionals on two-year contracts to deal with the shortage of such personnel in Trinidad & Tobago’s health care system.
She said the 56 nurses and 14 doctors will arrive in the country later this month.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the opening of accommodations at the San Fernando General Hospital for medical students of the University of the West Indies.
She also spoke of her government’s plans for expanding health care to make it accessible to every citizen regardless of age, gender, income or geographic location.
“Every single citizen of our country must have an equal and inalienable right to health care,” she said.
She said the 56 nurses and 14 doctors will arrive in the country later this month.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the opening of accommodations at the San Fernando General Hospital for medical students of the University of the West Indies.
She also spoke of her government’s plans for expanding health care to make it accessible to every citizen regardless of age, gender, income or geographic location.
“Every single citizen of our country must have an equal and inalienable right to health care,” she said.
“It is a fundamental right and it is our commitment. Therefore when some say that they’re not seeing anything happening in the way of development, it will do them well to look beyond Port of Spain. It would also do them well to understand that the needs outside of cities are equal, if not at times greater.”
She added, “Development must not be purely city-centric and we have moved away from that approach. Development must be national in scope and application. We made this commitment at the start and we intend to follow through.
“It was for this reason that we applied great effort and resources in ensuring that we fulfilled our commitment to our fellow citizens in Tobago, and delivered the long awaited and much deserved Scarborough General Hospital after fourteen years.
“In addition, construction of the Children’s Hospital and the Point Fortin Hospital will commence shortly. This is particularly important to our desire to not only reform healthcare, but also to increase the access to health care to all citizens.
The oprprime minister also stated that the Arima Hospital and Port of Spain General Hospital are going to be upgraded and that early next year, work will start on the refurbishing of the San Fernando General Hospital.
In addition, she noted that the Chancery Lane Complex is expected to be completed by December. “In fact, I am told that by the end of August at least two floors would be ready for outpatient services to commence,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar said the complex will also be used as a university hospital, much like the Mt. Hope Medical Sciences Complex. She added that the Children’s Hospital in Couva and the Scarborough Hospital will also provide increased access to health care services and additional opportunities and spaces for teaching and training medical students.
“The establishment of the UWI Campus at Penal/Debe will also broaden access to training to students who can now easily throw down two major hurdles of distance and related costs, with this new doorway to opportunity for all communities in South Trinidad,” she stated.
“I have every confidence that the South Campus will be a major factor in the transformation of our society, particularly for our communities in this part of our country, through its focus on teaching, research and scholarships. And as you know, the sod has been turned and work started on the 100 acre Penal/Debe UWI campus.
“These core areas briefly call together some of the major undertakings in our determined move forward to improve medical care quality, access and availability, as well as quality training, to the people of our country.
“We cannot just talk about improving health care by making it work better where it is, and ignore the fact that it is still too far away from many who need it.”
She said the opening of the new facility must stand as a clear demonstration of what the people’s partnership and collaboration, with a shared vision for development, can achieve.
The Prime Minister urged the students who will benefit to make full use of these facilities to take hold of their stake in the society and “to appreciate the level of importance my Government places in them, in their future and in their success”.
She added, “I ask you all to please keep in mind that every good turn deserves another. Therefore as you benefit, do ensure that those who depend on you also benefit."
She added, “Development must not be purely city-centric and we have moved away from that approach. Development must be national in scope and application. We made this commitment at the start and we intend to follow through.
“It was for this reason that we applied great effort and resources in ensuring that we fulfilled our commitment to our fellow citizens in Tobago, and delivered the long awaited and much deserved Scarborough General Hospital after fourteen years.
“In addition, construction of the Children’s Hospital and the Point Fortin Hospital will commence shortly. This is particularly important to our desire to not only reform healthcare, but also to increase the access to health care to all citizens.
The oprprime minister also stated that the Arima Hospital and Port of Spain General Hospital are going to be upgraded and that early next year, work will start on the refurbishing of the San Fernando General Hospital.
In addition, she noted that the Chancery Lane Complex is expected to be completed by December. “In fact, I am told that by the end of August at least two floors would be ready for outpatient services to commence,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar said the complex will also be used as a university hospital, much like the Mt. Hope Medical Sciences Complex. She added that the Children’s Hospital in Couva and the Scarborough Hospital will also provide increased access to health care services and additional opportunities and spaces for teaching and training medical students.
“The establishment of the UWI Campus at Penal/Debe will also broaden access to training to students who can now easily throw down two major hurdles of distance and related costs, with this new doorway to opportunity for all communities in South Trinidad,” she stated.
“I have every confidence that the South Campus will be a major factor in the transformation of our society, particularly for our communities in this part of our country, through its focus on teaching, research and scholarships. And as you know, the sod has been turned and work started on the 100 acre Penal/Debe UWI campus.
“These core areas briefly call together some of the major undertakings in our determined move forward to improve medical care quality, access and availability, as well as quality training, to the people of our country.
“We cannot just talk about improving health care by making it work better where it is, and ignore the fact that it is still too far away from many who need it.”
She said the opening of the new facility must stand as a clear demonstration of what the people’s partnership and collaboration, with a shared vision for development, can achieve.
The Prime Minister urged the students who will benefit to make full use of these facilities to take hold of their stake in the society and “to appreciate the level of importance my Government places in them, in their future and in their success”.
She added, “I ask you all to please keep in mind that every good turn deserves another. Therefore as you benefit, do ensure that those who depend on you also benefit."
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| Cutting the ribbon to formally open the facility ... PM Kamla with MP for San Fernando West Carolyn Seeperad-Bachan, Mayor of San Fernando Marlene Coudray and Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan |
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