The North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) has established another step-down / transition facility, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The new facility is located close to the Tacarigua Health Centre, and is a refurbished, formerly abandoned building at the back of the Centre.
NCRHA CEO, Davlin Thomas, says the new Tacarigua facility “will be used as contingency in the war against Covid-19”.
“The facility was renovated and upgraded by an in-house team from the NCRHA Engineering Department,” he points out in an official release.
Mr Thomas added: “This achievement is a signpost of the dedication and commitment to excellence of the staff of the NCRHA. We will press forward; we will continue to improve; this is who we are.”
The commissioning of this new step-down / transition facility, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients comes on the heels of Government’s decision to decommission facilities at Brooklyn Settlement in Sangre Grande and at Camp Balandra.
The use of those two facilities over the past six months reportedly has cost Government some $831,005 in total—Brooklyn cost $511,005; while Balandra cost $320,000.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh had indicated in an official statement this week that the decision was influenced by the introduction of home isolation for low-risk COVID-19 positive patients, as well as the opening of a new parallel healthcare facility at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) in Valsayn.