“Think of a case if your child is having a severe asthmatic attack and you are calling the ambulance service and the ambulance service is basically transporting patients who are Covid positive.” – Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards
By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE traditional healthcare at hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago is very close to being compromised.
This as hospitals in the parallel healthcare system are almost full to capacity with Covid-19 patients.
Principal Medical Officer, Institutions, Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards said on Wednesday given the upward trend in the hospitalisation of Covid-19 patients, “The traditional healthcare system in T&T is going to be compromised.”
She was speaking during the Ministry of Health’s virtual press conference on Wednesday.
The PMO said said the High Dependency Unit (HDU) was filled to 100% capacity in Trinidad with 95% overall and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was at 77%.
Admissions continue to be greater than discharges and there was also a strain on the ambulance service.
At present, hospitals in T&T were filled at 84% with the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility, one of the main hospital designated for Covid patients, being almost filled.
Dr Abdool-Richards said, “In simple terms, our hospitals are filled. This means that soon, patients who require care at our traditional hospitals, will be compromised.”
She gave an example.
“Think of a case if your child is having a severe asthmatic attack and you are calling the ambulance service and the ambulance service is basically transporting patients who are Covid positive.
“This results in you being unable to access the ambulance for your child who will be having difficulty breathing and of course may suffer or will suffer a negative consequence.”
Dr Abdool-Richards said 50% of ambulance transfers consisted of Covid-19 patients.
She added that the Regional Health Authorities have introduced contingency plans to address the challenge but resources continue to be limited.
And she again made an appeal for strict adherence to health protocols in order to bring the number of Covid-19 patients down.
