The Augustus Long Hospital has been refurbished and handed over to the Ministry of Health to be used to house sixty COVID-19 patients.

In a statement, the Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited (TPHL) said the hospital upgrade includes high dependency and intensive care units, complete with ventilator machines and monitors. The ground floor of the hospital has also been upgraded to receive ambulances and ambulatory patients.

Additional facilities have also been constructed to accommodate healthcare workers to reduce their risk of contracting the virus.

Principal Medical Officer at the Health Ministry Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards said, “The refurbishment of this hospital and hostel will serve as an additional health facility in our national parallel health care system for the COVID-19 response. This collaboration is an excellent, model which demonstrates how we can collectively work together to respond to this historic threat as a nation.”