Major equipment, security upgrade for KPH, Jubilee
THE Government is to spend US$8.9 million (approx J$596 million) to acquire much needed equipment and bolster security at the Kingston Public and Victoria Jubilee Hospitals.
Health Minister Horace Dalley, who made the announcement during a tour of both hospitals yesterday, said the government had already sourced the cash to foot the bill.
“The Ministry of Health, through the National Health Fund, has the money to do that,” Dalley told reporters yesterday.
Dalley said the ministry planned to double the number of kidney dialysis machines at the KPH from the present 16, and increase the staff of the renal unit. In addition, he said plans were in place to increase the number of cat scan and magnetic resource imaging (MRI) machines.
The shortage of dialysis machines has been putting a severe strain on the KPH’s renal unit. According to Chief Medical Officer Trevor McCartney, the machines have been solidly booked out.
“There is a six-month waiting list,” Dr McCartney said. “We deal with 60 patients every day,” he added.
In the meantime, Dalley said improvements are also planned for the operating theatres, the out- patient department intensive care unit, while several wards are expected to be expanded.
He said, too, that the government intended to convert a section of the hospital into a therapeutic radiology school.
The minister also announced that the elevator problem that has been plaguing the Victoria Jubilee Hospital for 26 years would soon be solved.
“We have ordered five new elevators for the Victoria Jubilee Hospital at a cost of $77 million dollars,” Dalley said. “Jubilee will be painted in time for Christmas and if it is not ready by Christmas morning then blame me,” added the health minister.
Both hospitals occupy the same compound and on more than one occasion heavily armed gunmen have invaded the health facility and freed patients who were under police guard. Gunmen also shot and killed a Jamaica Defence Force soldier while he was guarding a wanted man and made off with an army issue self-loading rifle. Prisoners have also escaped from the hospital.
But according to Dalley, security would be propped up to prevent further security breaches.
“Security at the hospital is a serious issue and we are going to take certain steps, including installing security cameras,” the minister said.