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SRHA calls for community partnerships

Published:Saturday | April 27, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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Beryl Rochester (left), justice of the peace and head of the Black River Hospital Management Committee, and Dr Fenton Ferguson, minister of health, cut the ribbon to signify the official opening of the maternity ward at the Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth recently. - Photo by Claudia Gardener
Alexia Davis, 13-year-old student of the Herbert Morrison Technical High School, is all smiles as she poses for a photo with 100- and 200-metre world record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt, at an event in his home town, Sherwood Content, last week. Davis, who is from Hanover, represents Herbert Morrison in Class Four in the 100 and 200 metres. - Photo by Claudia Gardener
Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority, Faye Bell. - Photo by Claudia Gardener
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WESTERN BUREAU:

Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Faye Bell, has called for community members to collaborate with health authorities to aid in the improvement of health care in St Elizabeth.

Bell was speaking at the opening ceremony of the interim maternity ward at the Black River Public General Hospital recently.

"I implore all of us today to join with the hospital's management committee and the Friends of the Hospital to partner together for continued improvements in the quality of health care delivered at this facility. The collaboration must start right here in this community," she said.

"The SRHA certainly seeks to foster and nurture all partnerships because health is not just the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Sooner or later, it becomes very personal, so I suggest that it's the business of all of us," she added.

DEDICATED TO IMPROVEMENT

She said the SRHA had dedicated itself to the continued improvement of the facilities at the Black River Black River Hospital, which is estimated to serve approximately 180,000 residents from St Elizabeth and the neighbouring parishes of Manchester, St James, and Westmoreland.

"Looking around, you will recognise that we've been steadily adding some modern buildings in a bid to upgrade the facility and thus improve the various health services offered at the hospital. In fact, this hospital boasts one of the best-designed accident and emergency departments," she said.

Formerly the site of the old paediatric ward, the maternity ward was renovated in an attempt to curb overcrowding at the Accident and Emergency Department and the female ward.

The ward was renovated at a cost of $12 million by the National Health Fund and has the capacity to house a total of 20 patients. It also includes two isolation rooms with self-contained bathrooms built to house three patients each.

The scope of work included the installation of a new roof, windows, doors, partitions, sanitary facilities and kitchen fixtures, and painting and tiling. The entire construction, which was done in two phases, took a total of eight weeks.

Among the benefits expected from the renovated ward are the reduced possibility of the cross-infection of infectious diseases, as patients can be properly quarantined; the availability of more space on the current female ward, which will allow for better manoeuvring and monitoring of patients; improved privacy for patients; a safer environment for patients, especially in the event of a natural disaster; and easier and safer access to the operating theatre, which will enhance response to emergencies.

- C.G.