Health Services Lands Caribbean Contract

Nova Scotian ambulances and emergency health expertise are heading south, following a deal between the Department of Health's Emergency Health Services division and the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago.

A partnership between Emergency Health Services and Tri-Star Industries of Yarmouth will provide hardware, medical equipment as well as training and other expertise to the islands.

"This is a $5-million contract to help develop a national system of pre-hospital care in Trinidad and Tobago," said Health Minister Jim Smith. "Emergency Health Services will be directly involved in implementing a pilot project in one of Trinidad and Tobago's five health regions."

Tri-Star currently leases ambulances to Emergency Health Services for three years, and at the end of the lease refurbishes the vehicles for sale abroad. Tri-Star recently signed a $1.3-million contract with Cuba, and this week the company is shipping 16 refurbished ambulances to Cuba, following a visit by Nova Scotia paramedics to provide training to Cuban doctors, nurses and paramedics.

Dr. Smith also announced that the Department of Health has agreed in principle to extend a contract with Tri-Star to continue providing new ambulances for Nova Scotia.

"I'm pleased that these initiatives are moving ahead," said the minister. "Nova Scotia has benefited from an improved ambulance fleet, and we're happy that these ambulances and our emergency health expertise can benefit our friends in the Caribbean as well."