PNP wants Alexandria health facility upgraded to a hospital

People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for South West St Ann Valenton Wint is urging Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to fully upgrade the Alexandria health facility to a hospital.

Wint says this would be to the best interest of the thousands of residents in Alexandria and neighbouring communities.

"Our current needs far surpass improved maternity, Accident and Emergency services, we are in dire need of a full Secondary Care Facility. We need a hospital,” Wint said in a statement today.

He expressed disappointment following the announcement by Tufton that the facility will only be refurbished to provide primary health care.

The announcement was made at a town hall meeting hosted by the Ministry of Health at the Charlton Primary School, Alexandria,

Wint argued that residents are forced to trek to St Ann's Bay or Spaulding in Clarendon, sometimes in the dead of night, for medical emergencies.  

He pointed out that a fully functional secondary health facility with beds and accommodations for continued and progressive patient treatment is required.

He said the elderly, who account for a large percentage of the population, need to be considered when these decisions are made.

The PNP caretaker contended that Percy Junor and St Ann's Bay hospitals are already overburdened and reopening Alexandria Hospital will greatly reduce the stress on these facilities and will also reduce the stress on patients who have to endure long waiting periods and complications as a result of overcrowding.

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