Scarborough hospital opens

Opening day at the Scarborough hospital

The Scarborough General Hospital finally opened on Saturday, more than a decade after the sod was turned to begin construction of the institution.

The hospital at Signal Hill, Tobago started under the Basdeo Panday United National Congress (UNC) government with a budget of $130 million. By the timne it was completed under the watch of the new PP government, the cost had escalated to $750 million.

On saturday police escorted ambulances taking 57 patients from the old Scarborough Regional Hospital at Fort King George to the new 100-bed health institution. 

Six children were admitted to the paediatric ward and seven inpatients for the surgical ward. The maternity department admitted 10 women and the emergency department attended to 26 patients during the day.

The hospital is under the management of the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA), the Division of Health and Social Services and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency. 

Secretary of Health and Social Services Claudia Groome-Duke said Saturday was an "historic day" for the health sector in Tobago.

Paula Chester-Cumberbatch, chief executive officer of the TRHA, said the state-of-the-art healthcare facility was designed to meet the needs of the growing population and to accommodate the changing face of healthcare in Tobago. 

The staff at the hospital include 18 new house officers, specialists and 50 nurses.