Hospital gets much needed surgery drug

Chief executive officer of the South West Regional Health Authority Anil Gosine says the San Fernando General Hospital has obtained three weeks supply of the much needed surgery drug, Neostigmine. Gosine, who spoke in an interview, said more supplies of the drug had been procured for the hospital to ensure that surgery there continued uninterrupted.

“We have enough medication now. We have at least three weeks’ supply and within the period Nipdec (National Insurance Property Development Company) C40 will regularise the supply within the next three weeks,” Gosine added. Nipdec procures almost all pharmaceuticals for distribution within the health sector.

Last Thursday, acting medical director Dr Pravinde Ramoutar, who replaced now retired Dr Lester Goetz last December, issued a memo advising all surgeons of a critical shortage of the drug. He ordered all theatres to go into emergency mode and remain closed, with the exception of the Accident and Emergency theatre.

The memo later was recalled as the SWRHA got hold of a supply of the drug to continue surgeries over the weekend. Gosine said surgeries continued as normal at the hospital. Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan was contacted by text message for comment. He directed the T&T Guardian to Dr Akenath Misir, chief medical officer.

Misir, in an interview, said the shortage has been sorted out. He added: “We are expecting two shipments, one by air and one by sea. We do not anticipate that this problem will continue any longer. “We are expecting (the air shipment) to arrive today or tomorrow, except if the plane cannot get off the ground due to snow storm or something like that.”

He said Nipdec had been handling the procurement of pharmaceuticals for a number of years and from time-to-time there had been challenges in terms of delivery. However, Misir said: “Generally we have a good service from them.”