Health Minister Fuad Khan said yesterday the upgrade to the women’s hospital in Mt Hope could cost about $2 million but added the Government would put in whatever was needed. “Whatever the cost we will put it in. It is to carry down the mortality rate of mothers at the hospital.” Khan said that while touring the hospital yesterday morning to view upgrades, such as a newly-installed elevator, a repaired fountain, airconditioning units in the library and offices and a transformer to increase the hospital’s power supply.
“The Mt Hope Women’s Hospital is going to be refurbished to such an extent that no further work will be needed in the next ten years.” Khan said the work done at the hospital was completed by in-house staff to save money that would have been spent on contractors. The work so far cost $100,000. Khan said the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) would see renovations in Caura and the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.
“Caura needs the same kind of upgrade. We are going to use in-house staff to deal with Caura and open it up to different services,” he said. He said the ministry had earmarked a children’s psychiatry unit and other units for Caura. “We hope to look into the idea of making the NCRHA the teaching hospital centre for research and development in the country.”