Fewer deaths at Couva hospital with new medical team, says NCRHA CEO

North Central Regional Health Authority CEO Davlin Thomas says in the last eight days, since the change of medical personnel, deaths at the Couva hospital have decreased by 60 per cent and increased discharges by 25 per cent.

“The medical team at the Couva Facility has done a phenomenal job. The numbers speak for themselves. The reduction in mortality rate by 60 per cent is exceptional. This experienced and highly qualified multidisciplinary team has also achieved a 25 per cent increase in discharges, with a near full to capacity bed occupancy. I am very pleased with the work and service being offered there. The implications for what we are seeing in the current data is significant and extremely encouraging.”

Couva hospital is one of the main treatment centres for covid patients and the most critical are treated there.

He made the statement in a press release on Friday in response to a release by former UNC Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh. In it he called for an independent inquiry and audit into covid19 deaths as there have been 289 covid19 deaths in May alone, out of the then total of 458 since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the NCRHA statement, Medical Chief of Staff Dr Ravi Lalla, said it was important to have a specialised team with varying clinical expertise working with covid19 patients. He added that it played a critical role in improving the various rates to the benefit of patients.

“The team has succeeded in filtering out the noise and engaging the battle to save lives with all that we have. Our team is dedicated to this cause. It is a collective effort that is systematically constructed on the contributions of each part to the whole – the cardiologist, the emergency medicine specialist, the intensivists, the nurses, the patient escorts, the technicians, the administrative support staff have all banded together to protect and preserve the life of each individual patient.

“It takes the effort of us all to save one… and we are determined to do everything we can to ensure that no one dies, and every patient is given the best chance of not just survival… but recovery with a high quality of life.”

There have been concerns raised by the UNC and the Medical Association since the previous medical team was moved out of the Couva hospital on the basis of being burnt out and overwhelmed,

Speaking at last Saturday's press briefing the Prime Minister said he was hearing talk about doctors in the hospital being moved around because managers were taking political instructions and because of political victimisation. However, that was casting aspersions on the management of the hospital system, on people who have been working non-stop for a year and a half to save lives, he said.