TRINIDAD and Tobago National Nursing Association (TTNNA) president Idi Stuart says the country's nursing shortage will persist unless healthcare workers receive competitive salaries, better benefits and greater respect.

Responding to comments by Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe acknowledging a nationwide shortage of nurses, Stuart, in a telephone interview with the Express yesterday, said the problem has long been known and continues to affect patient care.

'The shortage of nursing and midwifery personnel is no secret. It is a wellknown fact that there is a massive shortage within Trinidad and Tobago. It is having a direct impact on the quality of care of our citizens when they enter our health facilities because they are not being treated with the adequate nurse-to-patient ratio,' he said.