MP on Pt Fortin care centre: SWRHA must do better

POINT Fortin MP Kennedy Richards Jr says the present condition of the Point Fortin Extended Care Centre in his constituency is unacceptable and that the SWRHA (South West Regional Health Authority) "has to do better."

This was responding to a Newsday report highlighting infrastructural issues and a rodent infestation there.

The centre, at Warden Road, Point Fortin, houses psychiatric patients and the socially displaced.

Recently, the Point Fortin outpatient psychiatric clinic was temporarily moved to an unsanitary, prefabricated container in the grounds, which led to complaints from staff and patients.

Staff then contacted Newsday to say other issues include holes in the roof, a snake and rodent infestation, broken windows, cracking walls, dysfunctional electric outlets, no hot water for patients to shower and poor medication storage systems.

The staff said while they enjoy their jobs, the condition of the building is unacceptable.

Contacted for comment, an SWRHA official told Newsday, "At the moment, the SWRHA reserves a response."

Richards told Newsday, "Quite frankly, that is unacceptable.

"It seems as though these are longstanding problems and could have been dealt with over time utilising recurrent programmes and simple fixes."

He also said there are staff hired who can do basic repairs and "a bit of carpentry, a bit of plumbing.

"It's really unfortunate that they would allow it to reach to that situation and now you would need a capital injection.

"From the photos I would have seen in the Newsday, it means that now you have to go and find money to go and do some mass renovations."

He said he is willing to work with the SWRHA and the private sector as well, suggesting an initiative called "Friends of the Hospital, Point Fortin," suggesting, "We can have the hardware (stores)s and stuff like that being able to donate towards the upkeep of those facilities.

"SWRHA is from Couva all the way to Icacos, so they have other facilities and sometimes, the focus may be on just getting by and doing the big work...It's clear that the upkeep wasn't done over the years."

He said he had visited the centre after Newsday's story about the outpatient clinic and asked a worker if that was sorted out and they said yes. But owing to covid19 and visitor protocols, he was unable to enter the actual building to do a tour to see the condition of the rest of the centre.

He said he will try to arrange well in advance to do a proper tour and investigation.

"I understand SWRHA is under some pressure, but in terms of managing that facility, better needs to be done."