<<< Dr Denielle Robinson, District Medical Officer, George Town Community Clinic (left) and Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis inspects the defibrillator that was recently donated to the Clinic. Dr. Minnis said the defibrillator is critical to the resuscitation of patients and along with the ambulance that was also donated, will help improve healthcare services on Exuma, its cays and Ragged Island.
George Town, Exuma — Officials at the Ministry of Health and the Department of Public Health are “moving ahead” with plans for the construction of a mini-hospital on mainland Exuma, Minister of Health Dr the Hon Hubert A Minnis said recently.
Dr. Minnis said the construction of the mini-hospital will result in the provision of improved services to residents of the area that, in turn, should further improve health outcomes there.
The Health Minister said renovations are also scheduled to be undertaken at a number of the healthcare facilities in the Exuma and Ragged Island Districts within “this budget year” as part of the Government of The Bahamas’ commitment to further improving healthcare services to Exuma, its cays and Ragged Island.
Dr. Minnis was in Exuma to participate in the hand-over ceremony of an ambulance and a defibrillator that were donated to healthcare officials at the George Town Clinic.
“The comfort of now having a functional ambulance and other emergency resuscitative equipment such as the defibrillator will go a long way toward improving the management and resuscitation of patients,” Dr Minnis said.
“The donation of these two vital pieces of equipment is critical to the resuscitation of patients and improvement of healthcare services, brought about through community leadership and participation.
“I take this opportunity to express my Ministry’s appreciation and gratitude to the Dingman and Clemente families, volunteers and other stakeholders for their generosity in the donation of the ambulance and defibrillator,” Dr Minnis added.
The Health Minister said the donations come at a most opportune time as healthcare officials move forward with their plans to construct the new mini-hospital.
He said a review of expenditure for emergency medical services revealed that $683,346.80 was spent by the Department of Public Health on the evacuations of residents requiring emergency transport services from the District for the period July, 2008 to January, 2010.
Of this amount, $211,000 was spent for the evacuation of persons requiring air transportation from the Exuma and Ragged Island.
“Our data also showed that 43 persons from Exuma required Air Ambulatory services during this period,” Dr Minnis said. “The leading causes for these evacuations were trauma resulting from traffic accidents and intentional violence and injuries totaling 12 cases; chronic, non-communicable diseases and related conditions (seven cases) and seizures, accounting for five cases.”
Dr. Minnis said that as part of the build-up leading to the construction of the mini-hospital and the renovation of some of the existing facilities, officials from the Ministry of Health, the Department of Public Health and the Public Hospitals Authority will conduct First Responders Training for at least 20 persons beginning next month.
The Health Minister said an availability of knowledgeable and skilled healthcare providers and First responders are “critical components” to the delivery of immediate and quality services and pre-hospital stabilization.
“Over the years, residents Exuma have received First Responder Training; however the need to build local capacity so as to strengthen health services must be continuous,” Dr Minnis said.
“I applaud the volunteer ambulance drivers and other First Responders who have unselfishly given of their time in assisting the healthcare team and residents of Exuma in the delivery of healthcare services.
“It is through the development of positive collaborations between the healthcare team and other agencies that build community capacity to tackle existing and future health issues and foster the overall health of the community by strengthening the citizens’ trust in each other and through which individuals are empowered to increase their health knowledge and skills,” Dr Minnis added.
Minister of Health Dr the Hon Hubert A Minnis inspects the medicine cart of the recently donated ambulance following a hand-over ceremony on the island of Exuma. The Health Minister applauded the efforts of the Dingman and Clemente families, volunteers and other stakeholders for their generosity in the donation of the ambulance and a defibrillator. Pictured with the Minister is Nursing Supervisor Jessica Stubbs, Community Health Nurse for Exuma, its cays and Ragged Island.
NCL, I just caught myself. I just realized I called you Bahamasyouth in my post, I forgot you retired that user name. Man, you have so much of these alias, until it’s getting difficult to keep up with you. That’s cool though, I soon get the hang of all of them. I know Russell Johnson is could pick them out right away. Tell me something though, how much more of these alias you think you will need to defend HAI, because if you ask me aint none of them seems to be that effective. Please don’t think I am trying to discourage you in your efforts to defend your leader, I don’t want to come across like that. Anyway, hang in there and if you keep at it long enough, something might work.
What about L.N. Coakley High school? Students are using the bushes for toilet some days. There are holes in many classroom walls. The school lacks teachers. Students are not prepared to sit the BGCSE exams. That school is filthy and needs to be worked on immediately…
This is great for Exuma but Inagua mini hospital was built over 4 years ago but not completed because it was stopped after the FNM took the government and trees growing up in the place – can this government get it right
Well you know this is a spiteful and uncaring government, anything the PLP was dealing with, they don’t want no part of it, even if it was something beneficial for the Bahamian people. They gone right there and put a stop to urban renewal project where the police were station right in the over the hill areas and doing their regular neighborhood policing. All those projects the PLP had lined up they gone stop, review and cancel them causing plenty people to be out of a work, because it wasn‘t their idea. If that isn’t spiteful, I don’t know what it is.
LOL @ Kim.. make up ya mind…lol..
NCL, you are the one who is get confused easily. I said that is good what they doing for the people of Exuma now, that’s not excusing all the spiteful things they did like stopping urban renewal and canceling all those projects. See Bahamasyouth, you are blinded by the red and you can’t see nothing else. You see me, I have my full vision and whethey they are doing good or bad, I am able to see it.
Good News for the people of Exuma, however Ingraham should complete the mini-hospital in Inagua that the Previous Administration started. All work on that building has been stopped since May, 2007. Stop Neglecting us HUBERT!
gus somthing should reach Inagua now like finish the local clinic complex. Happy forExuma
This is good for exuma and I am sure the residents appreciates it.
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