The Tribune

By Denise Maycock

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A CONTAINER hospital donated by International Medical Corp was handed over to the Ministry of Health on Saturday to serve as a mobile clinic in East Grand Bahama.

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands accepted the gift on Saturday at High Rock, where IMC had also initially provided a tent clinic.

The High Rock Clinic, which served the East End communities, was destroyed by Dorian in early September.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, IMC stepped up and provided a tent and medical teams for the resumption of medical services in the East.

Dr Sands said the donation would assist in providing primary care services to residents who are unable to travel to High Rock due to lack of transportation.

He said: “High Rock and medical services in High Rock were devastated by Dorian. To receive such a wonderful gift from International Medical Corp will do a tremendous amount to the whole restoration effort.”

The minister said the mobile hospital is a heavy-duty vehicle that is resilient and self-sufficient. It has an examination room and consultation area, and is equipped with a water maker and generator; it has a high-capacity fuel tank, air-conditioning, and its own electrical system onboard.

In addition to the tent clinic and the pod in High Rock, Mr Sands said the hospital will be able to go to the people and provide consultative services, and basic medical and primary care services.

Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, the management of psychological challenges and some gynaecology care can be well managed with the mobile hospital.

“You drive it to a community, set it up, and people can come. So, imagine elderly persons unable to make it all the way here (in High Rock) because their cars have been destroyed,” Dr Sands said. 

Dr Sands said that feedback from residents has been very supportive, and noted that on average the clinic in High Rock sees anywhere between 10 and 15 patients daily, consistently.

He noted that while a lot of people do not live the community right now, they live in Freeport and drive to East End, where they spend a lot of time trying to restore their homes.

“Having this ‘hosptainer’ facility here provides a level of comfort and security and assurance for people that if something were to happen while they are here they will get the care they need.

“We look at this as an effective tool in our planning because even as we design a climate-resilient clinic for the long term, we believe that home care is going to be a very important part of health care delivery,” Dr Sands said. 

Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest, who is East Grand Bahama MP, said the mobile hospital marks significant progress in the recovery of East End.

He said IMC has helped out tremendously with providing a tent clinic and now the container pods.

Meanwhile, Dr Sands said significant progress is being made at Rand Memorial Hospital, which suffered extensive damage during Dorian.

“I went in the Rand today and it is amazing the progress that has been made. They have made it down the main corridor where the wards are. We have the operating rooms and recovery room and our remediation plan, and we expect that we will be going very much on schedule,” he said.

Dr Sands noted some demolition and new construction is required. “We have been able to gut and rip out all that has been damaged and as a result of what we uncovered in the very old hospital we decided that it is better to tear down and start over, but that is not a significant part. When we get done, there would be more than adequate bed space, and a very upgraded ambiance and better functioning facility,” he said.