The Government has its eye on renaming the controversial Couva Children’s Hospital to the University Hospital.
The new name was given yesterday by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the sod turning ceremony of the Diego Martin Health Centre.
Delivering the feature address, Rowley spoke at length about the country’s health care system, which he said his Government has been making a priority.
A few months ago, Rowley said he found out that the University of the West Indies (UWI) had informed Caricom heads that the university’s accounts was in trouble, as several Governments, like T&T, had owed them money.
Rowley said he discovered that T&T had owed UWI $200 million which they were required to pay.
He said they agreed to satisfy UWI’s debt by offering them to operate the Couva Hospital as a private entity in partnership with the Government to provide health care to regional people at a cost attached which can earn foreign exchange.
This offer, Rowley said, was accepted by UWI.
“A board is now in place. We are settling our accounts with the university and very soon we would have a new teaching hospital.”
Rowley said, “We might lose the phrase Children’s Hospital but we will replace it by the University Hospital and that would mean something to all the people of T&T.”
He said in the US health care delivery has to be paid for by citizens, compared to T&T which offers free service.
Though citizens pay health surcharge, Rowley said, this contributes to only $200 million, while it costs the Government $6 billion to run the health sector.
