Regrello: 'I won't have to take licks for SWRHA any more'

SAN Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said he can finally relax, as he may no longer have to “take licks” for the shortcomings of the South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA). He said he has been seeing several positive changes at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Regrello was speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the hospital’s obstetric theatre suite, neuroscience, and haematology services units on Tuesday morning.

He said the authority’s board has been doing “great work,” but added, “So many times people speak about the negatives and not about the positives. And for some strange reason, people of San Fernando are of the view that the mayor is responsible for SWRHA.

"So they don’t come to (CEO) Dr (Brian) Armour or the chairman of the board or whatever it is, they are terrorising me on Facebook, social media, (they come to) my office with letters, ‘What you doing about this?’ and I have to explain.

"So I want to let you know I’ve been taking licks for you for quite a while.”

He said San Fernando is already known as the industrial and financial capital, and can now say it has the “best medical institution in TT” as well.

Armour said the new upgrades are state-of-the-art, and will be used for the “dedication and improvement of women’s health in the region."

The obstetric theatre suite is on the third floor of the teaching hospital, and the other two new units are on the first floor.

Armour said, “Delivering excellent health care is our core business and is what we do best.”

While he could not provide a definite figure when asked the total cost of the upgrades, he said, “It is a capital expenditure project and, because it came in phases, based on our gift and donation policy – we would have put out some funds and the NGO would have also donated – kindly – some of the equipment you saw.

“Patients were getting (these services) before, but it’s just about the level of enhancement and quality. We did have neurosurgical services, it’s just that access location benefit is better now. And this service with haematology, there was a centre in North-West that patients would have access to, but now the access is in south.”

Chairman of the SWRHA board Valerie Alleyne-Rawlins said the commissioning was testimony to what can be achieved when a team does not give up. She also praised Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, who, she said, made women’s health a top priority when he came into office, as well as director of women’s health Dr Adesh Sirjusingh.

“These projects are reflective of SWRHA’s dedication and our commitment towards improving the patient-client experience and outcomes, which is the first goal of our strategic plan 2020-2023.”

Sirjusingh shared similar sentiments, saying it was the “culmination of years of hard work, determination and perseverance.

“I am confident these new facilities will radically improve the quality of health care service and infrastructure – not only for the staff, but for our pregnant women.“