hospital and doctors

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:50 pm

One of our party was taken ill when in Tobago last week and i cannot praise the medical staff highly enough.His condition required hospitalisation ( thankfully he is now recovered and should fly home on Monday ).The hospital does appear at first glance to be rather dated but the staff were professional in the extreme.I have no doubt the Tobagonian relaxed attitude helped to ease our worry but they have my utmost respect.
A big thankyou to all the staff

D. Gould · Post by **D. Gould** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:26 am

was this at s'boro hospital or somewhere else? very surprising to hear, i and no doubt quite a bit of people have underestimated them.

i got ill in tobago last year, and was afraid to go to the hospital in trinidad or tobago. i thought that i would probably die waiting to be seen.

i went to a doctor's office in bon accord. also it was told to me that the private doctors in the triangle building in town are good.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:18 am

Hi Guys

May I totally endorse Dave's comments. Although Tobago General Hospital is almost Dickensian, the quality of care is second to none - and I have had that comment directly from several people who have had the misfortune to use the facility. Also, some of the private hospitals and clinics on Trinidad are truly excellent. Gladly we have no personal experience of either.

As regards day-to-day medical health on Tobago, I speak with some expertise. One of the big disadvantages of increasing age is that one seems to need constant servicing and tune-ups and most pharmacists, doctors and dentists on the island now know us both by name (and have to take out bridging loans between our visits).

I joke, of course (well, about the financial aspects, at least). The cost of private medical and dental treatment in Tobago is a fraction of the cost here in the UK - and every bit as good. During each of our last two visits, Jill has had some excellent dental care undertaken at Oracare Dental Centre in Scarborough at a fraction of the cost here. Far more importantly, whilst discussing something completely different, Dr Mohammed of Carnbee alerted Jill to a possible thyroid condition. Returning home, Jill raised this with her GP and a consultant she was seeing, but both dismissed the condition. Last week Jill was in hospital for a partial thyroidectomy. Who was right and who was wrong?

So, visitors may express reservations about medical care on Tobago, but believe you me, Tobago has done us proud!

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 11:16 pm

it was tobago general hospital we admitted our relative to.without wishing to turn this political may i add this ;
in the uk the nhs spend £1000s making the outside of hospitals look fantastic,in Tobago its not the outside that matters but what happens inside.

Lena S · Post by **Lena S** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:14 pm

We arrived back to Sweden this Wednesday after a two week holiday at Tobago. We loved it, and want to go back as soon as possible....

One of our boys had some problems with his ear the last week. Since he had much pain we decided to take him to a doctor. We were advised to visit a health care center( rather newbuilt ) in Crown Point, but it was closed when we arrived there. We were earlier told that it was open every day, but obviously not this Saturday.
Our "privat taxidriver" Jeff took us to the hospital in Scarb. instead. It was an interesting experience....But we were very satisfied. Not a long time to wait, very friendly nurse and doctor. And I had expected to pay for the visit, but no-it was free. The medicin ( some antibiotica and painkillers ) were free too, if they would have had it at the farmacy. They didn´t have the antibiotica, so we had to go to two different drugstores before we got the right stuff.
There we paid at about 70TT for it. Jacob got his medicin, the infection started to heal but he was not allowed to dive into those wonderful waves at Black Rock Beach any more....