Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5759/-1/140/
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Costly New Ambulance To Replace Old Vehicles
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The two longstanding hospital ambulances which sometimes do not start or break down during emergences, are to be replaced by a new, costly and vastly-improved vehicle notwithstanding that it is a 2007 model.
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Presentation of cheques by CCB and NBA
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The local donors are the National Bank of Anguilla and the Caribbean Commercial Bank, each contributing US$40,000 towards the purchase of the US$86,000 ambulance.
Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority of Anguilla, Darlene Baptiste, said the private/partnership established between the Authority and the two indigenous banks continued to be of paramount importance to the island. “Presently we have two ambulances with model years of 1995 and 1998 but within a short time that will be changing with a new ambulance,” she stated.
She described the vehicle as a medi-tech type 3 low-riding ambulance with a large cab accommodating four personnel and capable of being used for emergency and disaster preparedness responses. There are spacious cabinets and “everything is electrical”. There will be a built-in maintenance component in the agreement, with the supplying company, for a period and arrangements will be made to eventually have someone on staff at the hospital with the ability to maintain the vehicle.
“One hundred percent of our population will eventually be in need of medical care so we must commit ourselves in Anguilla to the task of ensuring that access to quality healthcare is never in question,” Mrs. Baptiste continued. “This serves to remind us of the important role the Health Authority of Anguilla plays in this community. What happens in Anguilla and within this Authority has a direct impact on everyone who resides and visits here.
“The Chairman, Board of Directors, Executive Management, Heads of Department and the entire Staff of the Health Authority view this proactive approach as ensuring that quality emergency health care is never in question. Thanks to the Caribbean Commercial Bank and the National Bank of Anguilla for your continued support as partners as we work towards a healthier Anguilla.”
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Health Authority, Dr. Franklyn Lloyd, said the financial assistance from both banks was a further demonstration of their commitment to the people of Anguilla. “These two premier institutions have always answered our calls and cries,” he told the health personnel at the presentation ceremony on Monday this week. “In May 2002 NBA recognised the need for a new maternity unit and gave us $100,000; CCB gave us expensive laboratory equipment the same year. These two institutions are cognisant that Government cannot do all.”
Speaking about the services at the hospital, he referred to the excellent work of the dialysis unit and went on: “We are constantly upgrading our diagnostic services, our new maternity wing is close to completion; our diagnostic imaging department is being constantly upgraded; the lab has been further upgraded and, as stated earlier, we have two old ambulances which spend more time in the garage than out of the garage. We thank NBA and CCB again for US$40,000 each. You have made it possible for us to acquire a new ambulance and we will take care of it. I hope that their generosity will encourage other corporate citizens to contribute to other areas of the hospital’s development.”
Minister of Social Development, Evans Rogers, expressed gratitude to the local banks on behalf of the Government and people of Anguilla. “This is a step in the right direction because health is everybody’s business. I don’t think of a more noble cause than for our institutions to be involved in our health system in Anguilla,” he observed.
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, said the third ambulance was very much needed. “Everyone in Anguilla needs to feel that they have access to good quality care and that in case of an emergency they would be well looked after, thus making them feel more secure,” she stressed.
NBA’s Chief Executive Officer, E. Valentine Banks, spoke of the bank’s contributions to various needs of the health services as well as to sports in the schools, all towards ensuring healthy bodies and minds in Anguilla. “We are happy to be making this contribution today,” he stated. “I like your slogan or mission: ‘Working together for a better Anguilla’. We also pride ourselves in saying that ‘NBA and You together there’s nothing we can’t do.’
He noted that NBA was currently celebrating its 23rd Anniversary and its achievement of one billion dollars in assets.
Managing Director of the Caribbean Commercial Bank, Starry Webster-Benjamin, said: “CCB recognises the importance of making contributions to the communities we serve and to worthwhile causes at the top of which is the Health Authority of Anguilla. It is a pleasure for us to partner with my esteemed colleague of NBA to make this contribution to a worthwhile cause. On behalf of CCB we wish you well in your future endeavours; and we know that in the very near future the Anguilla Health Authority will be one that we are very proud of indeed.”
Director of Medical Services, Dr. Kennedy Simmonds, gave the Vote of Thanks. “We are all pleased that we are going to have a new ambulance and it is going to make a difference in our ability to respond to the emergency needs of the people of Anguilla,” he said. He was especially grateful to the EMTs of the Health Authority of Anguilla.
“They have been doing yore-man service over the years, sometimes in difficult circumstances,” he continued. “They get sent to the wrong places and then they invoke the ire of the public when they are late. They rush out to respond to a call and the ambulance doesn’t start; they get there and they collect the patient and the ambulance stops. In spite of that they have been working assiduously and, apart from their specific duties, you can always call on an EMT to assist in some other area of the hospital when help is needed. I think this is a good occasion for me to let them know how much we appreciate their service.”
Dr. Simmonds spoke of plans to train the EMTs up to the level of Paramedics as part of the continued development of the medical and health services, and hinted that NBA and CCB may be requested to assist with the necessary funding.