Sangre Grande to get palliative care unit

A designated palliative care unit will soon exist in Sangre Grande. The announcement was made on Sunday morning by health minister Terrence Deyalsingh at the 7th Palliative Care Society conference at the Trinidad Hilton, Port of Spain.

According to the society, palliative care refers to the "total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment." It also involves the control and relief of the patients' pain and psychosocial challenges.

Deyalsingh said the ministry is assessing a possible site location. It will be modelled after the unit at the Caura hospital, which he commended. That unit is a 12-bed in-patient unit which was established in collaboration with the North Central Regional Health Authority.

"I was so touched by how dignified people were facing mortality. None of those patients complained. They were dignified, they were at peace with themselves, they accepted their fate. As a health minister and as a human being, I felt nothing but pride and love at Caura."

He also said when the construction of the new Sangre Grande hospital is completed, there will be a space at the old hospital to be used specifically as a palliative-care unit.

"Everything should be focused on that person on that bed, that person who is making peace with his maker and should have peace surrounding him, and not the consequential events that go with it."

He believes palliative care is part of "God's work" and is a very important factor within the local health care system.