Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville and Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Managing Director Dr Aubynette Rolle cut the ribbon during a ceremony to commission the new location of the Princess Margaret Hospital Blood Bank at First Terrace on May 21, 2024. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRINCESS Margaret Hospital’s blood bank has been relocated to 1st Terrace off Collins Avenue.
The site used to be an emergency medical technician station, according to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville.
He and other officials gathered for a commissioning ceremony yesterday.
He said the move was special for him and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) because many blood bank employees have been working in difficult conditions for the last ten to 15 years.
He said although the new location would better serve workers, it wouldn’t be the blood bank’s last destination.
He said the government is considering constructing a new facility where staff can be comfortable with proper equipment.
“Our lab and our blood bank are key elements to the function of our hospital and knowing it, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are able to provide the services at the standard that they truly deserve,” he said.
“I want to speak a little bit about the future of the blood bank because we’ve had the opportunity to travel to different hospitals around the world and to look at their blood banks and see how the blood bank has become a digitised facility. We intend to follow suit where we are able to follow our donors from a digital platform and begin to get more Bahamians to donate blood because blood is life.”
“We recognise the challenges posed by ageing infrastructure at our facilities, particularly at Princess Margaret Hospital, our largest and busiest. These challenges have significantly impacted our blood bank staff, who have diligently worked in sub-optimal conditions to deliver essential services.”
“As you know, the blood bank has been very old, just as old as the hospital, which is some 71 years old and with the increase of all of the comorbidities that we have persons with surgical procedures, etc, we always have a need for blood and outside of that, though, based on infrastructural issues, we had issues in terms of mould in that particular area.”
Comments
ExposedU2C 6 months ago
Why doesn't The Tribune investigate who owns the building on 1st terrace off Collins Avenue that government has no doubt leased rather than purchased to house the PMH's new blood bank facility? And I'm sure the public would be shocked to know who among the ruling political elite is benefitting from the lucrative lease arrangement.
empathy 6 months ago
Not withstanding the previous comment, with I suppose was meant to ensure transparency in government expenditure as well as the avoidance of nepotism (familial or otherwise), I think it’s prudent for our government to lease rather than purchase more properties.
Benefits: 1) We are poor on maintenance and care of government infrastructure. The building will be maintained by the owners ‘renter’. 2) The rent is the rent and other than utilities which may not be included, expenditures would be relatively ‘fixed’ and more predictable. 3) Bahamian owners and their investment vehicles can earn income, build wealth and ensure retirement savings. It stimulates the local economy! 4) Government collects taxes in the form of Business Tax, Real Property Tax and VAT. The tax authorities will know exactly what the private entity is earning on the real estate so there is less opportunity for fraud by that business. 4) The relevant government agencies occupying that building can focus on their specific tasks (they can ‘do what they do’, unencumbered by building maintenance issues). 5) Less “government employees”, as these folks will be absorbed by the empowered private sector or they themselves may be the property owners.
ExposedU2C 6 months ago
Would you feel the same way if the monthly rental is $25,000 per month, with annual inflation increments of 10% over the initial 10 year term of the lease?
Dawes 6 months ago
The Government would not earn those taxes. The landlord will price that into their rent. I understand what you are saying, however this is government giving up on their job. They have a whole maintenance department, if they don't do what they are meant to they should be fired. But of course that never happens. So us the taxpayers will have to pay. And the above way is twice, once in rent to the landlord and then secondly in keeping a maintenance department going who does nothing.
empathy 6 months ago
If you’ve ever worked in the public service you would know why I’ve come to this conclusion…
This way no “maintenance department” necessary, or at least minimally staffed.
“Rent” is based on local economics, landlords shouldn’t be able to get away with excessive rent when due diligence is conducted as would be done with a private company.
Of course any approach requires integrity and transparency…
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