US$1 million training for hospital management

THERE are not enough professionals in Trinidad with qualifications, training and exposure to hospital management.

This was the view of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh as he spoke about the health sector during a news conference on Wednesday at the ministry, Park Street, Port of Spain.

He has put a plan in place to strengthen health care management at the regional health authorities.

“Hospital management is a speciality management field. In recognising that our managers need some support, we have engaged the United Nations Development Programme with a US1 million training programme that we are going to be spending over the next year to strengthen our management capacity in the RHAs.”

He said there were too many management issues not being dealt with because of bad executive management.

“The RHAs are charged with the delivery of health care services. The Minister of Health and the Ministry of Health are in charge of policies. Too often I get calls as to why the air condition isn’t working at a hospital. I am not going to be speaking as to why. Let them do that.”

The target teams for the programme were executive management teams throughout the RHAs, including Tobago, hospital managers, and part of that was strengthening the accident and emergency capacity. The programme would be launched in about two weeks.