PORT OF SPAIN - Health Minister Jerry Narace disclosed that Government has taken steps to counter the H1N1 (swine flu) by increasing by 200,000 the number of vaccines in the country.
Narace made this revelation when he spoke during the budget debate in the Senate. This was Narace?s second contribution, having spoken in the House of Representatives last Monday.
Narace said Trinidad and Tobago has done better than many other countries around the world in taking steps to combat the virus. He said that the ministry recently ordered an additional 50,000 vaccines which will take the total up to 200,000.
Classes at the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School in San Fernando resumed on Tuesday after two students tested positive for swine flu two weeks ago. The St Theresa?s RC School was closed this week after one student tested positive for the virus.
Noting that the allocation for health in this year?s budget was $4 billion and this allocation has been increasing over the years, Narace said Cabinet has approved the establishment of dialysis centres at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mt Hope and the San Fernando General Hospital. He also said Cabinet approved a draft plan for the National Health Service which will be rolled out soon.
During Narace?s contribution, Senate Vice-President George Hadeed had to caution both the minister and Opposition senator Sharon Gopaul McNicol as they hurled verbal taunts at each other.
