This country’s parallel healthcare system is “basically out of beds.”
That was the reality check given to us on Saturday by principal medical officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, as she spoke at a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
Dr Abdool-Richards said, “Today, I would like to let everyone know that in our previous conversations we have been speaking about ten days, five days and seven days to go before the beds are all occupied. It’s no longer a five days. It has been touch and go for the last three to four days and all our beds are occupied.”
She said the parallel healthcare system’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is at full occupancy, the High Dependency Unit (HDU) is at 95 per cent, while the ward-level is at 66 per cent capacity. In addition to this, 57 per cent of the beds at step-down facilities are filled.
She said hospital occupancy in Tobago is at 25 per cent, it is 78 per cent at the Caura Hospital, 71 per cent at the Couva Hospital, 85 per cent at the Arima Hospital, 90 per cent at the Augustus Long Hospital and 80 per cent at St Ann’s.
Dr Abdool-Richards also added that the rate of infection continues to surpass the rate of discharges.
“It means, if you require care, then you will not be receiving the best level of care,” she noted.
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