Imbert opens $4.6m obstetrics theatre at South Hospital
Guardian – Oct 02, 2002
By YVONNE WEB
Guardian South Bureau

A $4.6 MILLION obstetrics theatre was officially opened yesterday by Health Minister Colm Imbert at the
San Fernando General Hospital.But, while the theatre is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, Dr Jehan Ali,
head of obstetrics and gynaecology, told Imbert there was no nursing staff or anaesthetists to have it functioning
on a regular basis.Imbert admitted there is a shortage of between 1,500 and 2,000 nurses in the country.
“It’s a big problem. Hospitals are running at 30 and 50 per cent of their listed establishment,” he said. Imbert said
the exodus of nurses to work in developed countries has contributed to the depletion. “We train about 100 nurses a year in Trinidad. We lose about 100 a year to foreign countries. So the numbers have remained neutral for the last several years,” Imbert said.
He conceded there was no way T&T at its current stage of development could match the salaries of TT$30,000 a month foreign hospitals are offering to local nurses.

“What we want to do is to put more nurses into the pool. Within the next 12 months or so, I think we can start to train 200 nurses and within two years… I think we can get it up to 300 to 400 a year, he said.

Ali also told the Minister he was looking forward to the installation of a neonatal unit and a level two nursery needed to complement the theatre and decrease the perinatal mortality rate.

Reminding all that it is the election season, a mischievous Imbert responded: “If you would allow me to make a little joke, Dr Ali, vote PNM.”

Imbert also opened the Nurses lounge, refurbished at a cost of $220,000 and handed over the keys to the $583,000 dedicated Urology Ward, to Dr Lester Goetz.

He also presented a cheque for $200,000 to Nadine Seepersad Hackett for and on behalf of the South Cancer Support Group.

The only dedicated urology ward in the country, it will provide accommodation for 25 patients – 15 males and 10 females.

A dedicated urology theatre is now under construction.

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