Deyalsingh: Port of Spain Hospital upgrades coming for 2023, 2024

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said the new central block of the Port of Spain General Hospital is expected to be finished by 2024.

He made the statement to the media after visiting women who gave birth on Christmas Day at the Port of Spain General Hospital.

Deyalsingh said he does not have an exact date for the completion of the central block, noting there are many variables the ministry does not have control over, but he was taking a personal interest in its demolition and rebuilding.

“The old central block is being demolished as we speak,” he said. “So that demolition should be substantially finished by the end of January. When that demolition is finished. We intend to do a total re-beautification of the hospital.”

Deyalsingh added that the ministry plans to upgrade the hospital’s radiology equipment to streamline the service in the capital.

“We are putting down a brand new radiology suite with a brand new 120-slide CT scanner, new mammography equipment, new X-ray equipment and new fluoroscopy equipment.

“So we are totally upgrading our radiological service in Port of Spain, because this is our capital city and it deserves it.”

He said the upgrades will be completed by the middle of next year.

In August, a local contractor took over the demolition of the central block from Shanghai Construction Group, which quit the contract part way amid complaints of US$9 million in extra freight costs as a result of global shocks in the supply chain because of covid19, along with costs linked to bureaucratic delays.