CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (OCTOBER 02, 2009) -- Minister of Health on Nevis Hon. Hensley Daniel said as Nevis did not have a national health insurance, the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) depended on the goodwill of partners to help provide adequate health care for the people of Nevis.
Mr. Daniel made the comment when he gave remarks at a small ceremony at the Alexandra Hospital on Tuesday when a the Development Projects Foundation Incorporated and the Mount Nevis Hotel handed over a brand new medical autoclave to the hospital.
“It is always good for them to collaborate and we are always ready and willing to partner with institutions and organisations to help us to provide the necessary equipment, facilities and services for the hospital.
“We have to depend on the goodwill of partners like Mount Nevis Hotel and others. Last week we were here handing over the ultra sound machine and that effort was helped by the Bank of Nevis and the Hospital Auxiliary. We wish for these efforts to continue and because of the fact that we do not have a distinct pool of funds to finance health services,” he said.
The Health Minister said he was aware that in today’s world the public demanded high class quality service at little cost and the Administration had to find the necessary resources to purchase medicines and to keep the services going.
He urged the maintenance technicians at the Hospital to develop a performance and problem sensing and solving approach to the operation of the machines to ensure maximum performance.
The Health Minister said when the machines were down, the items that needed to be sterilised were taken to St. Kitts and that was problematic.
“I would urge therefore, that those who are maintaining the machines should ensure that we have continuous service,” he said.
Mr. Daniel registered the Ministry of Health’s gratitude for all those who were involved in the donation of the new autoclave and cited that the Hospital now had three sterilising machines.
He used the opportunity to remind the public that when the machines broke down they should be tolerant.
“Understand that in an environment where we are not contributing specifically to health, that 90 percent of the services of the hospital are free of charge and that the 10 percent that you are required to pay is minimal. Government covers 90 percent of all cost.
“So I say to the public in Nevis bear in mind that you take home 92 percent of your salary and after that you get your health, education and a range of social services at no cost. So when the services have to be discontinued because of the non operation of machines … we crave your indulgence,” he said.
Meantime, Proprietor of the Mount Nevis Hotel Dr. Audly Meguid thanked all who afforded the hotel the opportunity to provide the sterilising machine to the hospital.
He noted that his hotel had established a fund in which two percent of all the receipts of hotel rooms were collected and used to provide equipment for the Alexandra Hospital.
“We have done it before we are doing it now and we look forward to continue using that fund to bring in equipment needed for the hospital.
“We are glad to be of help to the people of Nevis and we appreciate all the support we received from the government in every effort we have done,” he said.
Acting Medical Chief of Staff at the Alexandra Hospital Dr. John Essien gave an insight into the new machine and underscored its critical importance to the hospital.
“What we have received here is a state of the art autoclave or sterilising machine which is essential for any medical unit. What this machine does is essentially eliminates microorganisms or germs from all equipment that had to be used on any patient and this goes from theatre equipment, instruments or equipment that we use on the wards, instruments that we would use at the point of emergency at Outpatients.
“We are truly grateful that we have a brand new unit to supplement the already functioning units that we already have here which have been breaking down now and again as machines normally would do but definitely with this back up we hope to ensure continued service well into the future,” he said.
The event was chaired by Director of the Development Projects Foundation Incorporated Mrs. Myrthlyn Parry.
