An oxygen-concentration system and other new medical equipment are now operational thanks to a $250,000 grant from the California-based charity Direct Relief, which funded the project through the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission.
“[This investment] has helped to strengthen the resilience of our healthcare system through standby power generators for clinics, upgraded pharmaceutical cold-chain equipment, as well as a new oxygen-generation capacity system for the Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital,” Tasha Bertie, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, said during a handover ceremony held last Thursday at the hospital.
Through the grant, which was secured through the OECS’ Enhancing Health Infrastructure and Resilience Project, three clinics received power generators: the Romalia Smith Penn Clinic on Anegada, the Rosalind Penn Healthcare Centre in Long Look, and the Jost Van Dyke Clinic, according to officials.
The Long Look clinic also received a pharmaceutical refrigerator, they said.
The ceremony last Thursday also included remarks from HSD Minister Vincent Wheatley; Roxanne Brizan, the programme director for health, social inclusion and social protection at the OECS Commission; and Luis Rodríguez, the emergency response manager for the Caribbean and Latin America region for Direct Relief.
“Through this project, we have bolstered our capacity to safeguard essential healthcare services, particularly in times of crisis,” Mr. Wheatley said.
Oxygen system
He also described the benefits of the new oxygen system.
“The installation of the oxygen-generating system provides the BVI Health Services Authority with a sustainable, cost-effective solution that reduces dependence on external oxygen supplies while also creating new opportunities for revenue generation in support of our broader healthcare goals,” he said.
After the ceremony, attendees were invited to tour the oxygen-concentration system at the hospital.
The Recovery and Development Agency oversaw the construction of the facility that houses the system, according to Ms. Bertie.
British Caribbean News
