The Ministry of Health is claiming that a video shared of a proposed neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Couva hospital is “inaccurate. ”
In an initial update this morning, the Ministry said the video which showed plans for a NICU ward at the Couva Hospital, was ‘fake news’.
The Ministry is now using the term “inaccurate”. The video seemed to contradict Deyalsingh’s statements at a press conference this week that there was no NICU at the hospital.
According to a release from the Ministry of Health, “The Project Scope for the Facility did not include a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In fact, it was a four (4) bed Special Baby Care Unit (SBCU) with incubators which is used for less urgent cases that was set up at the Facility.”
The release explained a NICU is designed for the care of premature babies who are high-risk and are outfitted with specific equipment.
It went on to say “Of the 230 beds in the facility, 150 beds were allocated to adults and 80 beds for use by children. Therefore, approximately 34% of the beds were for children while the remainder of the beds were for adults. This underscores the fact that the facility was not specifically designed for children only.”
The United National Congress (UNC) shared the video on Tuesday, accusing Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh of lying after his statements that there was no NICU unit at the hospital.