Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says that construction of the new male ward at the Westmoreland Infirmary is progressing well and should be completed early next year.
Minister McKenzie, who was speaking to journalists after a tour of the facility recently, said there is an urgency to complete the ward. This is needed to accommodate social cases at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital.
“Remember, we have an agreement with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to reduce the number of beds [being occupied by social cases at hospitals] by [accommodating] these persons in the infirmaries. I was told by the Inspector of Poor that there are 20 such persons at the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital and all 20 are males,” he noted.
“The capacity of this male ward is about 50, and when you check that 20 in the hospital, against the numbers that are waiting – the registered poor – to gain admission to the facility, we are going to exceed the capacity of the new facility that we are building. We are going to see how we can rectify that,” he said.
The Minister noted that he was “happy so far” with the work on the ward and commended the technical officers at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation and other parties involved in spearheading the project.
He informed that in addition to the new ward, and recently upgraded matron’s quarters, other buildings on the property will also be renovated. He said that a new drop-in centre will also be constructed in the parish.
Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, Councillor Bertel Moore, told journalists that he was satisfied with the progress of the work taking place at the infirmary, and welcomed as “good news” the announcement by the Minster that a new drop-in centre will be built in the parish.
The temporary matron at the infirmary, Nedene Collins-Whyte, said she is anxiously awaiting the completion of the ward, which will more comfortably accommodate the 38 males at the facility.
She noted that the recently rehabilitated matron’s quarters is a “beautiful place.”
Mr. McKenzie’s tour of the infirmary formed part of a working visit to the parish, during which he also addressed the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation and toured the Savanna-la-Mar Market.
