Tobago’s health officials came bearing gifts in the form of promises at the recent Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) Staff Appreciation and Quality Awards at the Shaw Park Complex.
Speaking at the event, Secretary of Health Dr. Faith Brebnor explained that over the past years, millions have been spent to improve services at the Tobago Regional Health Authority.
“We have spent over the last couple of years close to $60 million in improvement projects for the Tobago Regional Health Authority, and that figure includes infrastructure. It includes the little things, like ensuring that we have clean and safe pieces of equipment. It includes ensuring that the NICU has the pieces of equipment it needs. It includes the big things that we see, like the CT machine and the X-ray machines and those things, but it is that kind of commitment that is required in order to ensure that we provide the service that this island requires.”
TRHA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Delmon Baker outlined further plans and projects underway.
“It is the recommendation of the Executive Council to make sure that by the end of this calendar year all those who have gratuity payments outstanding will be paid. It is the vision of the Authority to move almost 70% of our staff cadre from the rank of contract workers to permanent employees, and we will start with the nursing cadre in December. TRHA moving forward. That age-old problem – the one thing TRHA doesn’t have is parking, Secretary, we will fix the parking problem at Scarborough General Hospital by creating an additional 60 to 100 car parking spaces.”
The TRHA also plans to construct resting spaces for employees and a daycare facility for their children.