Improvement Work Carried out at St. Ann’s Bay Hospital

The St. Ann’s Bay Hospital benefited from several improvements during the last fiscal year, including the renovation and expansion of its male medical ward.
As contained in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives recently by Minister of Health, Horace Dalley, the refurbished ward, which was increased from a capacity of 23 beds to 40 beds, including a six-bed psychiatric bay, has enhanced inpatient care at the health facility.
In addition, through funding from the National Health Fund (NHF), the hospital acquired a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine for the accident and emergency department and two additional ambulances.
Other improvements include the replacement of a 30 year-old boiler, the purchase of four vital signs monitors and the construction of a helipad. The helipad, which is adjacent to the accident and emergency department, has facilitated more effective and efficient patient transfers.
For the 2006/07 fiscal year, the hospital also implemented the first phase of its emergency medical services, which will be offered from Boscobel in St. Mary to Discovery Bay in St. Ann, and five miles inland.
For this fiscal year, the hospital’s management will be seeking to start the construction of two new operating theatre suites, develop plans for expanding its outpatient department and laboratory, and obtain funding to replace steam distribution lines.
The management will also seek to strengthen the hospital’s human resource capacity, continue to build relationships with organizations locally and internationally to access needed equipment, and to increase access to technology.