IT’S “touch and go” in the parallel healthcare system when it comes to bed capacity to treat Covid-19 patients.
This was the statement made by Principal Medical Officer Institutions Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards at a press conference held by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Saturday when he declared a State of Emergency to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Abdool-Richards said, “Today, I would like to let you know that in our previous conversations we have been speaking about ten days, five days and seven days to go before beds are all occupied.
“It’s no longer five days. It has been touch and go for the last three to four days and all our beds are occupied.”
She said the increasing hospitalisation level was cause for concern.
Dr Abdool-Richards said all beds in the intensive care unit (ICU) were filled with 95% in the high-dependency unit (HDU) in use.
She said 66% of the beds were occupied at ward level and 57% in the stepdown facilities.
Dr Abdool-Richards said Tobago was at 25% capacity with all other Covid-19 treatment facilities above 77%.
Capacity at the hospitals:
- Caura Hospital – 78%;
- Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility -71%;
- Arima Hospital – 85%;
- Augustus Long Hospital – 90%; and
- St Ann’s – 80%
She said admissions continued to surpass discharges.
