Sav Hospital poised for full recovery, health minister declares

Western Bureau:

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says significant progress is being made to restore, expand and modernise key facilities at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland, which was battered by Hurricane Melissa last October.

Addressing a recent press briefing hosted by the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Tufton was quite optimistic about the pace and scope of the ongoing rehabilitation works.

“In terms of the hospital, I am very encouraged that there is a lot of work taking place that is restoring the hospital to where it was prior to Melissa and, indeed, to make it a better facility in the post-Melissa period,” he said.

Among the major developments outlined were the completion of repairs to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department, and the upgrading of the operating theatres, which is expected to be finalised by the end of May. Additional ward space is also being constructed, adding approximately 30 new beds.

“They have added some additional ward space, which will see another 30 or so beds being added … and the temporary facility … is now being built out in brick and mortar,” said Tufton.

The new Outpatient Department, expected to be completed by the end of June, will span 20,000 square feet and is being designed with future expansion in mind. Once a new A&E complex is constructed, the outpatient facility will be converted into additional ward space.

The ongoing phased approach to the restoration of the hospital is expected to significantly increase the capacity of the facility.

“Before the hurricane we had closer to 218 beds … we’re looking closer to 300 after these works are completed,” said Tufton, noting that future expansion could push capacity to as many as 350 beds.

The minister added that the planned construction of a modern A&E facility will transform patient care and working conditions for staff.

“Savanna-la-Mar Hospital will become a much different hospital … with a much larger and well-placed accident and emergency ward.”

He also revealed that the Government is exploring the possibility of adding two additional floors to the new building, including consideration of a private ward through potential public-private partnerships. And, beyond infrastructure, he highlighted several operational challenges

facing the hospital, including the issue of social cases - patients who remain in hospital due to social circumstances rather than medical need.

“We have between 25 and 30 (social cases) at any point in time … that’s over 10 per cent of the bed count,” he said, noting that collaboration with municipal authorities and other authorities will be necessary to address the issue.

He also pointed to the need for upgrades to the wastewater treatment system and called for greater focus on staff welfare.

“I think we need to pay keen attention to ensuring that we have staff welfare in a more targeted way,” he said. “It’s really about the working environment, the staff lounge, the nutrition of the staff … to ensure that staff feels as if they are a part of a community.”

In the meantime, Tufton said progress is also being made across health centres in Westmoreland. Of the parish’s 20 health centres, 18 are currently operational, either in their original locations or temporary facilities.

“One totally needs a rebuild, that’s Whitehouse; and the other, Williamsfield, in maybe another month, should be able to be reoccupied,” he said.

Four facilities remain without electricity due to ongoing reconnection challenges in affected communities, but health teams have been conducting outreach through home visits and shelter-based services to ensure continued care.

Dr Marcia Graham, the medical officer of health for Westmoreland, underscored the importance of community cooperation in maintaining public health services during the recovery phase.

“We really want to say that we are grateful for the efforts that have been made to improve the infrastructure… and we encourage the citizens to work alongside the health team,” she said.

Graham further noted that health workers have been actively tracking patients who missed appointments, with a view of ensuring that they continue to receive care, even if they have relocated.

“We are actively monitoring those who would have missed appointments … and trying to locate all the persons who we have not seen coming in for scheduled care,” she explained.

She also highlighted the success of a Saturday clinic initiative carried out by the public health inspectors, which is seeking to help individuals replace lost food handler’s permits.

“We have in the range of 80 to 100 persons making use of this facility each Saturday,” said Graham. “Persons don’t have to lose a day’s work in order to replace that document.”

Additionally, the parish is participating in Vaccination Week of the Americas, with health teams working to ensure residents are adequately immunised.

Despite the disruptions caused by the hurricane, Tufton noted that healthcare utilisation has only declined by about eight per cent, compared to normal levels.

“We have to just continue to encourage Jamaicans to visit your health centres … otherwise you end up in the A&E with emergencies that become a real problem,” he said.

Looking ahead, Tufton emphasised that the recovery effort is moving from emergency repairs to long-term resilience.

“In crisis, you stabilise and then you build,” he said. “This phase is intended to build smart facilities…to deal with wind damage, water catchment systems, alternative energy and accessibility.”

As reconstruction continues, Tufton maintained that the parish’s main hospital is on track to emerge stronger than before.

“In the next few months, you will see Sav-la-mar Hospital being bigger and better,” he said.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com

Related photos:

(A) Sav Hospital (1) - Side view of the expanded ward space currently under construction at the Savanna-la-mar Public General Hospital.

B) Sav Hospital (2) - Dr Christopher Tufton (left), minister of health and wellness, engages in conversation with Deveta McLaren (centre), acting regional director at Western Regional Health Authority, and Dr Marcia Graham, medical officer of health for Westmoreland, at the Negril Health Centre in Westmoreland during the first stop of his tour to assess rehabilitation works being done at the health centres in the parish.

(C) – Sav Hospital (3) - Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton (left) visits the Williamsfield Health Centre in Westmoreland to get a first-hand look at rehabilitation work being done to get the facility operational. He is joined by members of the Western Regional Health Authority team, including Dr Marcia Graham (second left), medical officer of health for Westmoreland; Carol Beharie, senior public health nurse; and Lerone Perry (right), director of projects.