Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Phillip Watts has reassured approximately seventy students who recently completed the theoretical component of their healthcare training that he will advocate on their behalf to the Minister of Health for future employment opportunities.
On Friday, the students from both the Patient Care Assistant Programme, with specific emphasis on Disability Care, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Programme completed the theoretical component of their training and will begin their clinical component in hospitals throughout Trinidad.
Minister Watts said the path the students have taken demands knowledge, skills and compassion, and necessitates a willingness to help, render attention without judgement, and provide service with dignity and respect.
“The Patient Care Assistant to the differently-abled component has not just taught us and taught you all how to offer care, it has enabled you to remove barriers to empower and to make healthcare more accessible to everyone, irrespective of their inability.”
President of COSTAATT, Dr. Keith Nurse, emphasised the growing importance of programmes like these, noting that Trinidad and Tobago’s ageing population and the ongoing expansion of healthcare infrastructure, including new hospitals and medical facilities, are driving a rising demand for skilled professionals in the healthcare sector.
“Also, I could say there has been an increasing demand from young people to come into the sector, and so it is about matching both the supply and demand requirements for the health care sector.”
Patient Care Assistant student Cherosa Sealey-Brown shared that while the programme is intensive, the hands-on, practical knowledge gained is invaluable, especially in situations where they must provide immediate care until EMTs arrive. She stressed that initiatives like this are not only essential for personal development but also play a vital role in strengthening healthcare delivery.
“We tend to not pay attention to people with disabilities. Now, nothing is wrong with them per se, except their disability might be physically hampering them from their daily lives, or it could be mentally as well, so we should be able to give them that empathetic and compassionate care that would help them along the way that will encourage the person with the disability to grow more, to interact more socially as well.”
Minister Watts, in his discussion with the students, reaffirmed his commitment to advocating on their behalf. He pledged to make the necessary representations to the Minister of Health to ensure that they can apply their skills and training in a sector that is currently experiencing high demand.