Health Minister visits site of Port of Spain General Hospital central block

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh toured the new central block of the Port of Spain General Hospital project site on Thursday.

He was joined by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Asif Ali, chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of TT Ltd (Udecott); Udecott's CEO Tamica Charles; and other officials of Udecott, the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) and contractors.

A release from Udecott said 5,000 cubic metres of concrete had been poured to date and hundreds of local labourers – semi-skilled and skilled – have worked at the new central block  site.

It added that from next September-December, medical and engineering staff assigned to the new central block will  undergo rigorous training, in line with testing and commissioning medical equipment and systems. It said this is all in time for the hospital’s start-up of full operations in the first quarter of 2025.

The release also included project highlights by Udecott's senior project manager, Sunil Ramnath, which included:

1. The completion of demolition of the old central block, with confirmation that a car park for 110 cars was being designed.

2. Information that contractor universal structures are now 82 per cent complete and their remaining structural steel works, shear walls, decking and fireproofing would be done by the end of August.

3. Confirmation that contractor CRCCL had mobilised on site, taken over tower one and started outfitting work. A commitment was also given by the contractor that tower two, levels one-ten, would be completed by September 2024.

4. Tenders for medical equipment are now at the evaluation stage.

5. Tenders for furniture were also in and being evaluated.