The T&T Medical Association (TTMA), in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the University of the West Indies, hosted the last of the four-day 23rd Triennial Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) meeting at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. The CMA comprises 54 Commonwealth medical associations.
Former TTMA president Dr Solaiman Juman, elected as the new president, told the media the CMA looked at a new strategic plan to make it more relevant. Juman said the Health Ministry gave a grant of $500,000 to help host the meeting. He said many decisions were made, one of which is to work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the heads of government to maintain health as a key component on their agenda.
Juman announced the launch of the Flagship Project, in which the CMA will act as a facilitator in getting all Commonwealth doctors to do projects in different countries. “If you can unlock the potential of the Commonwealth which comprises two billion people, the entire area will benefit.”
Health Minister Fuad Khan said the Commonwealth Secretariat was fully supportive of the Flagship Project, in which retired specialists, like neurosurgeons, will get the opportunity to train young doctors in sub speciality work. He said a system will be set up to have them register on the Commonwealth Web site and if the Government wants to use them, will pay their airfare and for their upkeep. The Commonwealth Secretariat will assist with funding.
“We have a shortage of neurosurgeons and cardiac surgeons and forensic and anatomical pathologists,” Khan said. On a different matter, he said the Ministry is working to introduce medical “stand alone” facilities where specific specialities are centered in the North, South and East. “You will have, let’s say, an eye centre, a transplant centre, a cardiac centre, a neurosurgical centre. “So instead of logging into a hospital system, onto a ward, you have these centres as a sort of hospital city.
“Port-of-Spain is being designed like that right now and the Inter-American Development Bank is looking to see if they can assist us there. “San Fernando is already on its way there with the Chancery Lane Complex.” Khan said the Government will foot the medical bills at these centres for public health patients through a national health insurance system.
“The world is going in that direction. We have the IADB right now wanting to sign up for the two diagnostic centres.” A grant of US$1.5 million from the IADB is expected to assist in setting them up. Juman, commenting the move, said patients have to wait “horrendously long” for medical tests at public health facilities.
Responding to a recent study, he said the average waiting time in emergency departments all over the world is four and a half hours. Khan said the waiting is for those not considered urgent. Those with emergencies are seen right away. He said the opening of new external periphery hospitals will take care of this.