Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited (TPHL) announced that it, along with its subsidiaries handed over the Augustus Long Hospital and Hostel to the Ministry of Health. The readiness of the Augustus Long Hospital now adds approximately 60 beds to the fight of the pandemic.

Upgrade and renovation works at the hospital and hostel were conducted by several energy services companies and contractors from South Trinidad led by the Kenson Group of Companies and included Tiger Tanks Trinidad, Laing Group, GML Contractors Limited, Sonriz Engineering Services Limited, Paramount Transport and Trading Company Limited.

TPHL indicated that approximately one month ago, TPHL responded to the Ministry of Health’s request to utilize the Augustus Long Hospital and its facilities to support the national response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The company stated that it assigned its best facilities and project teams to the job to ensure that the infrastructure of the hospital and hostel was refurbished to the required clinical standards. The project team comprised of employees from TPHL and its subsidiary companies guided by the Ministry of Health.

TPHL Chairman, Michael Quamina said, “This was a yeoman effort by our employees and contractors working through the nation-wide restrictions to ensure that we support the Government in caring for the people of Trinidad and Tobago in this global crisis. This facility ensures that health workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago will have access to another hospital with additional medical resources to save lives in the fight against this dangerous virus. It is important that all of us continue to contribute to this national effort.”

Upgrade works conducted at the Augustus Long Hospital included increasing the capacity to up to sixty (60) patient beds. The upper floor has been retrofitted with a High Dependency Unit (HDU)/Intensive Care Unit (ICU) equipped with ventilator machines and monitors. The groundfloor, where patients will be received has been outfitted to receive ambulances and will cater for ambulatory patients.