Patients should not risk their lives by avoiding public hospitals for fear of receiving no care, says North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) chairman Dr Tim Gopeesingh.

He also rubbished claims yesterday that hospitals were shut down due to a lack of nurses, noting that 73% of nurses reported for duty on Saturday.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association (TTNNA), Idi Stuart, previously said patients should avoid hospitals and emergency facilities operated by the NCRHA and instead utilise others, including the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA), and South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), given the ongoing protest by nurses, which could cause delays.