Pogson Hospital to be completed by end of this year
~~Adz:Left~~Basseterre, St. Kitts (January 15, 2008): The EC$5.7 million Pogson Hospital Project is scheduled to be complete by December this year.
This is according to Health Planner Andrew Skerritt who guided Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas and Minister of Health Honourable Rupert Herbert and other officials on a tour of the construction site recently. Mr. Skerritt explained that although there will be less beds for stay-over patients, the services would be increased. The former Pogson had a 24 bed capacity while the new hospital will have 12 beds.
The Health Planner stated that this was based on the capacity at the Joseph N. France General Hospital as well as the advice of the Pan American Health Organisation. Expanded services include a dental and x-ray unit, a morgue, conference facilities, a modern labour and delivery suite and underground parking for staff. The emergency centre will be operational 24 hours and includes an emergency technician base, as such residents of Sandy Point and the nearby community will no longer have to wait on an ambulance from Cayon or Basseterre.
Prime Minister Douglas expressed satisfaction with the speed of construction and stated that it fulfilled one of his government’s promises to the electorate.
He said his government is fully committed to the continued social development and healthcare of the Federation’s people. The Prime Minister stressed that this has been an area of concentration over the last 12 to 13 years that his administration has been in office. He said that while it was important to rebuild the JNF General Hospital, which had been destroyed by hurricane, it was also very important to rebuild Pogson.
Minister Herbert stressed the complementary services of the hospital as part of the holistic healthcare provided to residents of the Federation.
He emphasized that the emergency services provided by Pogson will complement the work at the health centres, thus providing both preventative and curative services to the community.
Project Manager of the site Mr. Li Yong of the China Jiangsu Construction Group Caribbean Limited, with the aid of his translator, explained that the main building had been completed and the roof was presently being worked on. He said that some roads on the premises as well as landscaping was yet to be done.
Construction on the Pogson project commenced March 6th, 2007.
