Deyalsingh awaiting info on Arima private hospital

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh says he is open to the idea of the government using a private hospital in Arima, but is awaiting more information on its staffing and management before any decision can be made.

On Sunday, businessman Balliram Maharaj offered the government use of the private hospital to use to satisfy any purpose required by the health sector.

Responding to Newsday's questions after receiving his second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday, Deyalsingh said he was awaiting correspondence from Maharaj on the capacities of the hospital.

"Through the North Central Regional Health Authority, I asked the CEO to contact Mr Balliram Maharaj to provide documentation like his certification, being registered under the Private Hospitals Act; we need to know who his chief of staff is; we need to know his staffing; we need to know how much beds he has in the hospital, how many ICU beds, how much HDU beds. We also need to know about his major medical equipment and how much doctors and nurses he has on staff.

"Once we are satisfied that basic information is accurate, then we can go forward. I need to see his organisational structure and capacities broken down into different categories. That is part of the rigour of ascertaining what is there at that particular centre."

On Sunday Maharaj told Newsday he had bought the hospital and renovated it, adding that clinics and drive-through covid19 testing were already being done there.