The just-opened polyclinic at Welches, in the eastern end of Anguilla, will be providing a full range of medical, dental and nursing services to residents in that part of the island. The facility has been hailed as a very useful and necessary provision in that part of the island.

The British Government contributed 142 pounds sterling, the equivalent of over EC$500,000, towards the cost of the construction and the Anguilla Government provided over EC$480,000 from its consolidated fund. However, the overall cost of the facility is expected to climb to some EC$1.3 with the provision of the equipment and other furnishings as well as landscaping – an additional expense of the Anguilla Government.

The new facility replaces the Island Harbour Clinic at the head of the pond-fill in that area – a location which usually floods when there is heavy rain.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Ralph Hodge, described the polyclinic as timely and necessary while speaking at the opening ceremony on January 30. He said there were plans for a similar facility at the western end of the island to balance the provision of health services on the island.

Governor Peter Johnstone said the British Government’s financial contribution to the project was a demonstration of partnership which at times is unequal. “That doesn’t matter. We must not decry unequal partnerships,” he stated. “In this case, HMG gave some money and the Anguilla Government gave the rest of the money. The design was Anguillian; the construction was Anguillian; the project management was Anguillian; the customers will be Anguillian and so you will see the partnership is definitely on the side of Anguilla.”

He added that the next partnership would be between those who use the facility and those who provided the service. He called on the doctors, nurses and other staff providing the services to remember that their role was to serve the public and to give of their best. He also advised all persons to care the facility, to be disciplined and respectful when seeking the services of the polyclinic and to give to those in charge any suggestions which they thought might improve the services.

Governor Peter Johnstone and Dr. Carol Boyd-Scobie after cutting the ribbon

Dr. Carol Boyd-Scobie, a consultant with the Pan American Health Organisation, congratulated the Government and people of Anguilla on the opening of the facility. She said that the concept of a polyclinic very much re-enforces the basic elements of ensuring that good health was maintained.

“We are hoping, like the Governor said, that this facility is supported by a partnership where the community and those who are giving care help to decide what the role of the facility will be,” she went on. “In 1993 the Caribbean voted for a charter for health promotion and it has several aspects to it. One of the key ones is community participation in deciding how the health services fit the needs of people.”

The PAHO official called for a true partnership so that the facility would be a focal point for activities that would bring health and wellness to the community in the eastern end of the island. She hoped that this would reach a point to encourage the Government to repeat the experiment in the western end earlier than planned.

Elected Representative for the district, Kenneth Harrigan, said he was pleased with the pace of the construction work and was anxious to see the opening of the polyclinic. He stated that he would ensure that the facility was named after Victoria (Tota) Smith, a nurse-midwife who served the East End community in earlier days.

Mr. Harrigan explained that some fifteen years ago the Government built the Island Harbour Clinic which had now served its purpose; and that the new facility was constructed at Welches where land was available. He felt it was a good location, in the centre of the villages, which also includes Chalvilles and Deep Waters.

He added that when more money became available Government would build a second storey on the polyclinic to provide a further community service in the area.

Director of Health Services, Dr. Franklin Lloyd, commended the Government for its provision of the Welches Polyclinic and other investments it has made in the health sector over the years. He noted that there was a need for the private sector to play its part in the improvement of the health care system and acknowledged a number of such contributions last year.

“The private sector could be encouraged to invest in work-based and community health through the creation of a corporate investment health award sponsored by the Government and business leaders,” he said.

Dr. Lloyd went on: “Every community should have access to certain essential public health services, such as the monitoring of health status to identify and address community health problems and the enforcement of laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety. The Government must provide adequate and sustained funding for the public health system. The Ministries and Economic Development must develop a comprehensive investment plan to support the nation’s public health infrastructure at all levels.

“A significant obstacle in achieving the best possible health for all Anguillians is the lack of health insurance for many people. The Government needs to continue with its plan to develop options for making comprehensive and affordable health insurance available to everyone. With this great stride we make today, the Government and people of Anguilla should be proud of this achievement and put it to use.”

Minister of Social Development, Eric Reid, said the opening of the polyclinic marked the evolution of the island’s health services from a system of delivering mainly nursing and medical services at district level to one that provides an integral medical, nursing, dental and mental health service.

The Minister continued: “By placing more appropriate services at a point of contact with the population, the primary health care model is truly being impemented in Anguilla. This improves equity and access and also increases the chances of people living healthier and more productive lives.

“The desire to construct this new facility to serve the Island Harbour/East End health services grew out of these ideals as well as a more urgent need to re-locate the Island Harbour Clinic which is in serious disrepair. We cannot thank Her Majesty’s Government enough for injecting EC$536,000 into the project with the Government of Anguilla providing counterpart financing of EC$480,197. It is obvious that both Governments are committed to providing a level of care to the people of Anguilla that is second to none.

“This ideal optimum health care can be developed if we engaged communities in planning for their own health care. The Welches Polyclinic will provide a venue in which to engage the East End communities with a mix of health care services and conference facilities and will position itself as a model health facility that would make a major positive impact on health and wellbeing.”

Another section of attendees at the opening ceremony

Mr. Reid said that social participation and integration were some of the main objectives in the Government’s primary health care policy approach. He stated that increasingly Government was looking to members of the community to be responsible for their own health and to make their own informed decisions to care for themselves and participate as full citizens in the community.

“We must continually upgrade and improve the health services in accordance with accepted standards, practices and norms so as to provide optimum care to our communities,” he added.

Cross section of public and private sector officials at the opening ceremony

Other persons who participated in the opening ceremony were Pastor Oville Fleming of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who delivered the Invocation and Health Planner Foster Rogers who gave the Vote of Thanks.

The newly commissioned Polyclinic at Welches

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News