Secretary of Health, Wellness and Family Development Tracy Davidson-Celestine has said her division intends to add 40 beds to Tobago’s existing hospital stock to accommodate covid19 patients.

On Friday, the division reported there were 62 active covid19 cases on the island after two additional people tested positive for the virus.

Two patients are currently in the Intensive Care Unit of the Scarborough General Hospital.

Addressing the division’s virtual health briefing on Friday, Davidson-Celestine said the addition of the 40 beds, to be housed in a secured facility, will be a temporary measure.

“This will lower our underutilised space by at least 30 per cent. But I must remind that this will only work for a while. It can be seen as a temporary measure,” she said.

Davidson-Celestine urged Tobagonians to be responsible so as to reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus and being hospitalised.

“I am encouraging you, the members of the public, to exercise personal responsibility in this fight, to exercise personal responsibility in the things that you do because, again, if it is that we are to run out of bed space, it can, in fact, be to the detriment of all of us going forward and create greater hardship.”

With respect to bed space, Davidson-Celestine said the new Roxborough Hospital is not an option at the moment.

“Perhaps if the situation becomes an overwhelming one, we may have to consider Roxborough. But for now, we have secured another facility.”

She added: “Of course, you know sometimes we want to keep those places somewhat confidential. But the important thing is that another 40 beds will be added in the not so distant future so that it can increase our bed capacity.”

Acting Medical Chief of Staff Dr Victor Wheeler said the 40 beds will be housed in a step-down facility.

He said the old hospital at Fort George has a capacity of 67 beds.

“Right now, because our numbers were very low up until a few weeks ago, 24 of those beds were used as a step-down facility.

“So, we plan to very soon have an extra facility off-site that will be used as step down. And that will free up those 24 beds to make our capacity at the old hospital 67.”

Wheeler said of the 39 patients there now, 18 of those are patients who, otherwise, should have been in a step-down facility.

“So, with those 18 patients moved out, we will have 21 patients up at the fort with a capacity of 67.

“The addition of the step-down facility will mean that we will be adequately supplied in terms of beds for patients who are covid positive that need treatment.”

Wheeler reiterated Tobago’s health policy is to have all covid-positive patients in a state facility.

“That policy will continue. So, that is why there is the additional bringing on stream of a 40-bed facility to provide step-down care, which is really minimal care – those patients are in their last seven days of isolation before they can be properly discharged into the community.”

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