HSA upgrades Faith

| 03/03/2010

Cayman Islands News, Cayman Brac headline news, Faith Hospital(CNS): Extensive renovations to Faith Hospital on Cayman Brac have been completed for $1.26 million – well within the $1.3 million approved in the 2008/9 budget. The work, which included upgrading the electrical and air-conditioning systems in the ageing facility, was started under the previous administration in 2008. Delayed by Hurricane Paloma in November that year, the repairs then included upgrading the roof and the patient area, which was paid for with an insurance payout of $1.2 million for hurricane damage.

As well as the improved infrastructure of the building, the hospital now has enhanced pharmacy, lab and birthing area, plus a new digital imaging facility, which will enable staff to make more informed and timely decisions, as well as save on costs of inter-island transfer of patients, Health Services Authority CEO Lizzette Yearwood revealed at a ceremony to mark the completion of the project last Friday. The Brac EMT Department also has a new US$59,000 ambulance, it was announced. The vehicle it replaced has gone to Grand Cayman where it can be serviced more readily.

Dr. Srirangan Velusamy, Director of Sister Islands Health Services, explained that Faith Hospital remained open during the renovations by temporarily relocating all the sections, in a phased manner, to a different part of the hospital to accommodate the renovation and by using the new annex of the Kirkconnell Community Care Home, which is located next to the hospital, for inpatients.

PWD managed the overall project, while Kozaily Design and KM Ltd were contractors for the renovations. Yearwood said that thanks to the “remarkable ingenuity of the project team and staff of the hospital”, the project was managed without compromising patient care or closing any hospital services.“The planning process was critical in relocating various sections of the hospital in to different areas in a controlled and phased manner so as to minimize the adverse impacts on patients and staff,” she said.

Marking the end of a PPM project, Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Conolly, who has responsibility for District Administration, and Health Minister Mark Scotland cut the ribbon on the repaired inpatient wing, renamed the Captain Charles Kirkconnell Wing after the late former Sister Islands MLA.

Captain Kirkconnell, who died 18 February, donated the land for the Faith Hospital complex and also served as a chairman of the committee of Cayman Brac residents which raised funds and constructed the original Faith Hospital. Sister Islands MLA Moses Kirkconnell said the hospital, which was originally built by Brac residents, represented what the island was about and provides a showcase for what can be accomplished when people work together.

Yearwood, who began her career at Faith Hospital as an intern in 1984, said, “So much has changed in medicine since the original construction of Faith Hospital back in 1972. So much has changed in the Sister Islands over those 38 years. But this is not the final chapter. There is more to do and I can assure you that we will be working hard to make sure that this facility fulfils the aspirations we have for it and the people it serves over the long-term.”

She said that senior management of the HSA and Faith Hospital worked closely with dedicated front line healthcare workers to establish a long-term plan to improve the way we offer health care in the Sister Islands. "This re-opening is a big part of that plan but we also have many more improvements planned for the future to meet population growth projections and further expand our range of services. I look forward to updating you as we move forward with those plans."

Addressing overall health care in the Cayman Islands, Health Minister Scotland announced that his ministry was looking at the medical services which currently require overseas referrals to see if there are possible opportunities to expand the local healthcare to offer these services in Cayman.

“This would not only keep the money currently spent on those services circulating in the local economy, but would also improve the overall quality of care,” he said “Two areas we are focusing on expanding are cardiac care and oncology services. We are also looking at the way overseas referrals are managed, and are investigating possible partnerships to ensure future cost savings and increased efficiencies in this area. You will be hearing more about these efforts over the coming months.”

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Back at Anonymous at 22:29…..Hold on deh! You’re blowing worse than a Nor’wester! 

    First of all, where in my post did you see me refer to the DEPUTY PREMIER as MY politician? And what makes you think the lady can’t take criticism? Obviously, she must be doing a good job at ignoring goons like you because she’s still wearing what SHE wants to wear and not giving a d…n about what you think. It would appear YOU are the one that’s being childish and pathetic by taking the display of certain colours so seriously that you’re ready to send up your blood pressure over it. I sure as hell didn’t vote and it’s not because I didn’t get a water tank or my back door step fixed but, I gah tell you one thing, any day I decide to put on a green or red shirt/blouse and step out with it, only to hear some moron say it’s childish and pathetic, you know what I gah tell you? Kiss my as*!!

    Look ya, the woman is large and in charge so deal with it! Next please!!

    • Anonymous says:

      XXXXXXX

      Childish is when you make people change the color of something just because youre political party has a different one… isn’t that what kids do?

      We’re alll glad you didn’t vote.  Thank goodness!!!

      I want to tackle the good job comment… She is doing absolutely squat for CYB and LC.  Yes she gave some people a few dollars for clean up… but get this, she now has placed a person that lives in Cayman in charge of the Housing Authority in Cayman Brac (big waste of money). She brought her friend in from the US to supervise (we don’t have people here that could do that?). 

      I want to know, what are the plans for bringing in the tourist?  How is she going to encourage investment?  If she doesn’t have the answer or thinks that cleaning up a place that people can’t get to is the answer then she needs to get out of the way.

      Let me say it this way… the least voted for person in the Cayman Islands is trying to take the credit for what the PPM did.  Everyone knows that PPM approved this projectand we were all present when it was announced with the time line.  It takes a real political party to announce that they are starting a project that won’t finish until a couple of months after the election (bring back memories of the schools?).  PPM knows that it is not about a person it is about the betterment of the islands.  UDP just needs to give up while they have any dignaty left. 

      On top of this they are cutting pay… well done UDP! 

      Clue:  You didn’t know how to run the country in the past… and you surely don’t now!!!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Oh, for crying out loud. Lay off of the Juliana bashing already! Who cares what the woman wears. Through hard work and dedication, she has excelled to where she is today. That’s alot more than can be said for some people like you who seems to only have ambition to squat flat your as* and downgrade others. Give the woman a break.

    • Anonymous says:

      Guess you got a water tank or was it some of the other special favors? 14 years in the LA and Cayman Brac has very little to show for it.

    • Anonymous says:

      "through hard work & dedication"??? Are you sure that’s all? I can believe the ‘dedication’ part, yes, dedication to Mckeeva Bush & whatever he does!

    • Anonymous says:

      This is very good news, now I think it is time for the UDP to upgrade their faith! (in GOD, that is)

    • Anonymous says:

      If you & she cannot take the heat in the kitchen then get out. If she wants her pay then she must learn to play, & to play she must take criticism. It seems apparent that you (Anon 13:04) cannot handle the criticism of your politician. If she does not want criticism not only should she try & do something for the Brac people, but she must learn to dress properly, & not always in her UDP green, it’s childish & pathetic! She follows Big Mac too much, & it’s hurting her. There is an old saying "you can pay for school, but you can’t buy class"!

  3. Anonymous says:

    Well  i’m  glad to see  its not only me that is  seeing the truth. Thank you PPM finally the truth is coming to light. As the old saying goes dont throw stones in  a glass house. Keep una head high and continue to push for una country before its too late because i for one is standing strongly behind you.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I noticed the main driving force behind the building of Faith Hospital wasn’t mentioned!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      It was Anthony Eden that table this, not Julianna or any of the UDP members. Once again PPM done something good for the Brac even though some Caymanians love to beat them up by sayingthey spent to much money, atleast the money they spent was always on necessary projects.

  5. Funny honey says:

    Ugh, I wish Julianna would stop wearing green already! Is it just me or is it true that everytime you see her she’s in green? We all know what team your with m’am, but all this green is JUST a little extreme.

    • Anonymous says:

      Times are a changing a red bow and ribbon allowed!!!  Careful now deputy Deputy Premier you may be contaminated if you get too close to red.

      • Anonymous says:

         Nooo… that’s bow must of been a big surprise ! Hear they had to have the Brac agriculture fair signs reprinted in green because last years year had red on them.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I would like to thank the PPM for the upgrades at the Faith Hospital it was long needed. 

    I would like to agree with the previous comment (9:58), Yes we the people of the Cayman Islands could see where the money was being spent.

    • Anonymous says:

      You see thats the difference between the PPM and the UDP; the PPM starts it and we finish it..in other words UDP gets it done….period.

      • Anonymous says:

        So true the UDP have just about finished off the Cayman Islands!

      • Anonymous says:

        Gets it done?! The reason the PPM felt forced to go on their ambitious capital projects plan was because the previous UDP govt. had either failed to start or get the job done with important projects like new schools, new roads and the new govt. administration bldg (which would have cost less than 1/2 of what it now costs if the UDP had proceeded with the plan when they first acknowledged that it was needed). UDP started negotiations with CUC and PPM got the job done (and much better than what the UDP had come with). Instead, the UDP wasted money on non-essential white elephants like Boatswain’s Beach that are still costing us millions in subsidy.       

      • Fuzzy says:

        THe difference is that the PPM ploughed the field,planted and watered the seed ,reaped the corn and then UDP came in and ate it.

  7. Anonymous says:

    LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM, PPM is for love of country…i know where my money went(: