Nurses Association: Not enough staff for children's hospital at Couva

PRESIDENT of the Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) Idi Stuart says the association does not support plans to operationalise the Couva Children’s Hospital for its original purpose.

He also responded to reports that a consultant was being sought to review the hospital’s current state, saying the association welcomed that plan.

“I have not gotten any info on it (plan to bring in a consultant) but I would have seen the media reports with the staff being relocated, those who are currently attached there,” Stuart told Newsday on September 2.

“The only thing we have heard is that it is going to be handed over to South-West Regional Health Authority, in whose region it falls. But in any event, the association welcomes any authoritative figure who can shed some light or give advice to the sitting government as to what has to be done with that institution.”

Stuart said there had been numerous suggestions over the years as to what the facility should be used for.

But he insisted it could not be used as a children’s hospital owing to the unavailability of staff.

“It is definitely not feasible because we just don’t have the human resource, doctors nor nurses specialised in paediatrics to have a full operating third paediatric unit. So I don’t think that definitely is on the cards.

“So if the government is seeing the wisdom of gaining consultation, we will definitely welcome that because the association has been strongly opposed to operating that facility for its original purpose solely on the fact that we just don’t have the human resource nor do we have the financial capability to operate properly another major healthcare facility like that one.”

Stuart believes the money used to construct the facility could have been used elsewhere.

“But it was already spent, so I guess the country has to find some way to operate it without it going into decay. But definitely not a children hospital at this time. We would prefer that the current children’s unit is properly staffed and operated to a high level.”

In 2015, the UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition government opened the hospital at a cost 0f $1.6 billion. But the hospital was never commissioned as the government was voted out of office that same year.

Three years later, the Dr Keith Rowley-led PNM administration had said the facility would become a teaching hospital run by the University of the West Indies. It was also renamed the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility.

At the height of the covid19 pandemic in 2020, the hospital was used to treat severe cases and subsequently as a step-down facility.

Now, in 2025, the government wants the hospital return to its original, intended use.

In May, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe and Minister in the Health Ministry Dr Rishad Seecharan toured the facility.

Bodoe later confirmed that the government was moving ahead with plans to open the hospital and might recruit foreign nurses if needed.

Newsday tried to reach Bodoe and chairman of the North Central Regional Health Authority Dr Tim Gopeesingh but calls to their cellphones went unanswered.