The Dr Martin Didier Polyclinic in Gros Islet is set to become a 24-hour healthcare facility, ensuring that residents have continuous access to essential healthcare services.
The planned expansion will include the modernisation and enlargement of the Accident and Emergency Unit to take some pressure off the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital’s accident and emergency department. There will also be additional doctors’ offices to increase consultation spaces, and a dedicated staff lounge in the expanded polyclinic.
A sod-turning ceremony, a step towards making this a reality, was held last Friday.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness & Elderly Affairs, Ernest Norbal, emphasised the strategic approach taken in executing the upgrades.
“The expansion of the Gros Islet Polyclinic is a critical step towards strengthening Saint Lucia’s healthcare system. The ministry has adopted a phased approach in reconfiguration and retrofitting, ensuring minimal disruption to patient care,” he said at the official sod-turning ceremony at the polyclinic.
The infrastructural works at the Gros Islet Polyclinic are expected to continue for approximately four months. According to health officials, during the construction, healthcare services at the Gros Islet Polyclinic will remain fully operational; however, the ongoing work may cause minor inconveniences, including noise and restricted access to the polyclinic.
“The ministry has adopted a phased approach to the facility, in reconfiguration and retrofitting to ensure minimal disruption to patient care,” Norbal explained.
According to Minister of Health Moses Jn Baptiste, the expansion and extension of operating hours at the Gros Islet Polyclinic are expected to ease the OKEU Hospital where patients have had to endure long waits for accident and emergency services.
“Those of you who have worked at the Gros Islet Polyclinic, the nurses, doctors, and health aides have served tirelessly as this facility remains the preferred choice for many Saint Lucians. This development will transform the polyclinic into a 24-hour facility, ultimately reducing the pressure on the Owen King EU Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit and moving Saint Lucia closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage,” he explained.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre agreed that the expansions were needed.
“The nurses, the doctors have complained that they could do so much with a little more space,” he said.
Assuring that the available resources are available for the expansion, the prime minister told those in charge of the project: “There will never be a time when you make a claim [and] you will not get what you ask for, but please, let us get the facility and the work done on time and, if possible, within budget.”
Pierre emphasised health as a priority for his administration, a key factor in its selection as part of this year’s Independence Day celebration theme, “Health and Wellness for a Prosperous Nation.”
“Because we believe that in this country, we have to ensure that we have the best possible healthcare with the resources that we have as a country. There’ll never be a time where you will get everything that you want, but with the resources that we have, during this period we are trying our best,” he said.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Sharon Belmar-George noted that the expansion, extension of operating hours, and addition of services at the Dr Martin Didier Polyclinic are part of efforts toward achieving universal health coverage in Saint Lucia.
“At the Ministry of Health, we are working towards the establishment and the strengthening of strategically placed emergency and urgent care facilities with extended hours of operation with basic diagnostic services to improve access to timely, quality and equitable health services,” she said.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative for Gros-Islet, Kenson Joel Casimir, praises the collaborative efforts behind the project, saying that he was “proud to be part of an administration where the Minister of Health and the Prime Minister come together to discuss strategic solutions that address healthcare challenges in a holistic manner.”
Right The Wrong, the mantra of the UWP. I want to ask whether the following are wrong?
1. The expansion of the Polyclinic, is it wrong?
2. The other wing at the OKEU, is it wrong?
3. Paying facility fees for school children, is it wrong?
4. Salary increases for pensioners, is it wrong?
5. Minimum wage for less fortunate, is it wrong?
6. Assist parents with form 5s students by paying CXC for Maths and English, is it wrong?
7. The Youth Economy, is it wrong?
Please state what is wrong that I may know.