Princess Margaret Hospital. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
By LEANDRA ROLLE
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday that the issue of bed shortages at Princess Margaret Hospital will not be resolved until emergency care services at the Elizabeth Estates and South Beach clinics have expanded and renovations at PMH’s emergency department have been completed.
“There has been movement, but the problem (of bed shortages) is not fully corrected,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Ministry of Health yesterday.
“The only thing that’s going to correct it will be to get the emergency department renovations completed and to get the Elizabeth Estates and South Beach alternative options completed and those projects are moving along.
“At the same time, we need to upgrade the services there so people can go there as opposed to going to Princess Margaret Hospital…Once they’re completed, then we should see a reduction in the number of people who perceive that there’s a real bed shortage.”
The health minister added that with remediation of the several wards at PMH, the problem of not having sufficient beds at the hospital will be rectified.
“So, the Accident and Emergency (Department) right now continues to be challenged with admitted patients who have no beds in which to be housed,” he said.
“And so as a part of the remediation project, we have accepted a gift from, I think it’s the Beck group, to assist in the remediation of the Children’s Ward and we will provide the financing to go ahead and repair the old Intensive Care Unit and the Male Surgical Wards.
“So, unfortunately, there will be a significant amount of simultaneous construction going on at Princess Margaret Hospital, specifically to address these issues. We have a number of challenges, but we’re pleased to say that we’re now actually able to affect those improvements.”
Compounding the issue of bed shortages at PMH, as noted by Dr Sands, is the challenge of boarders.
“We continue to have an issue with boarders and this issue of boarders is a complex matter. There’s seldom a day that goes by that someone is calling to complain that the hospital is asking for my mummy, my daddy and my aunty to go home and I’m not ready for them to come.
“Understood, but the longer that someone who has been discharged remains in the hospital, that means that someone else mummy, daddy or grammy can’t get a bed in the hospital and so we all have to play our part.
“It may not be convenient for you to take some time off to deal with your loved one, but the fact that that person is occupying a bed that they don’t necessarily need means that somebody is being inconvenienced.”
Comments
joeblow 4 years, 10 months ago
I don't understand what having emergency services at Elizabeth Estates and South Beach clinics have to do with the amount of beds available in PMH! These two things are not connected in any way!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 10 months ago
Most Bahamians would be surprised to know who actually owns the clinics that our government leases under outrageously costly lease contracts.
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
If we started arresting and deporting illegals after rendering medical care, we would have 65% more beds available in no time!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 10 months ago
Spot on!
geostorm 4 years, 10 months ago
In addition to everything mentioned by Dr. Sands, we also need people to pay for services and stop expecting everything to be free! The money earned would assist in the upkeep, maintenance and overall run of the hospital!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 10 months ago
It all starts with policies conducive to the creation of new business wealth and decent paying private sector jobs.
birdiestrachan 4 years, 10 months ago
perhaps the 10.000 for tea, C>A> Smith and Peter Turnquest rent and doc plane rides all over the Bahamas accomplishing zero can be put towards beds for persons who are at their lowest.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 10 months ago
I like Dr Sands, he is up front, measured, he doesn't make wild promises, he doesn't pander to the public and he appears to be prepared for his contributions. He can't solve the bed problem at PMH under the current system, there simply aren't any beds.
Relatives of elderly persons are using the hospital as a retirement home and it also serves as a daycare facility for children with developmental disorders. It's a horrible situation that our country is in, likely the relatives of these borders are literally unable to care for them, they can't quit their jobs and they can't pay for a private nurse.
The stranglehold at the top needs to be broken so everyone can climb out of this mess. We need a transformative leader. I saw alot of people praising Vaughn Miller for going Independent, but suggesting that that suddenly makes him leadership material puts us in the same boat as we were in 2017. We need a transfirmative leader that we've witnessed demonstrate real leadership characteristics honesty integrity competence influence charisma character etc etc and they must have vision that's the dream and the ability to organize and complete the execution
ConchFretter 4 years, 10 months ago
Agreed, especially the call for transformative leadership.
And at a minimum, we need more/better retirement homes for the elderly and facilities for children with developmental disorders. They would each get better care outside of the hospital and it would open up beds within the hospital for the sick.
TalRussell 4 years, 10 months ago
No matter how hard this Imperialists red government's crown minister tries to say it, clearly he and his colleagues - be's talking down at comrade PopoulacesOrdinary. Them just not that into you, your children, uncle, auntie, - neither your grand pa or ma. - mommy or daddy. You can't make such a perceived up, you just, can't.
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