News
Davendranath Tancoo. –
THE South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) says it is aware of an aircondition issue on level 17 of the San Fernando Teaching Hospital and that it will be fixed soon.
The authority was responding to a question by Newsday following claims made by a UNC MP on June 2.
Speaking at a press conference, Opposition MP Davendranath Tancoo said he visited the section of the hospital on Saturday after a relative warded there begged him to visit.
“What I found there was heartbreaking,” he said.
He said there was “absolutely no ventilation” and the place felt like a sauna.
He added that his phone recorded the temperature as being 33 degrees Celsius, and it was generally overcast outside.
“I shudder to think what the temperature (there) was like on a hot day.”
He said patients were drenched in sweat and there was a pungent scent of faeces and urine.
The patients, he said, told him fans had only been recently brought there but it was “circulating stale, stink, musty air.”
In addition, Tancoo said the water in the bathroom was brown.
He dubbed the area a health hazard.
Asked about this, SWRHA said the issue is a “temporary, localised operational issue affecting level 17, from Friday over the current long weekend.
“However, corrective actions have already been taken to mitigate the effects. Repairs to the affected cooling systems are due to begin early next week.”
It added that other recent maintenance issues with the cooling system in the entire building has caused intermittent cooling problems.
“…But have also been addressed sufficiently in the interim, also with full repairs with the required parts forecast for next week.”
SWRHA said none of the other claims made have been reported to the authority.
