By FRANCIS JOSEPH
While nurses are planning a major protest today, the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) is going ahead to recruit nurses for the health sector.
On Thursday, Chairman of the NCRHA, Dr Tim Gopeesingh, led a team which welcomed 61 new nurses to the health system.
Dr Gopeesingh was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer, and members of the management. They welcomed the new nurses at an orientation session at the Mount Hope Hospital.
According to the NCRHA, “the team expressed sincere appreciation for their commitment to serve on the front line, and their willingness to support nursing teams across our facilities, helping to bolster the NCRHA’s capacity to better serve patients, their families and the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Dr Gopeesingh and the team also thanked the group for their dedication and encouraged them to continue in a spirit of professionalism, love and care.
“The NCRHA recognizes the vital role of nurses and remains committed to supporting the delivery of quality patient care.”
Over the past few weeks, nurses have been protesting, with reports of demonstrations at the Sangre Grande Hospital and the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, regarding stalled wage negotiations, staff shortages, and poor working conditions.
The nurses are demanding wage increases, the resolution of long-outstanding salary negotiations, better working conditions and an end to staff shortages. They are complaining that they are still living on 2013 salaries. The last time nurses got an increase was in 2013 under the then People’s Partnership Government. They got nothing since.
As one nurse told Sunshine Today, “we worked really hard during Covid, and all we got was a tin of biscuits.”
The nurses, through their association, have expressed frustration with the lack of progress and have threatened to escalate their actions with a major protest planned for today in San Fernando.
Chairman of the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), Anil Gosine, has reassured the public that contingency measures are in place to protect patient care, as nurses prepare for a planned protest today.
He added, “Over the weekend, from Thursday to Wednesday, we have been monitoring absenteeism, and it’s very low at the South West Regional Health Authority.
“So the nurses are coming out, and if they’re not, we fill the gaps from the pool and through overtime. So the service has continued.”
