Here’s what the US $98 million Acute Referral Hospital will offer differently

By Admin. Updated 10:41 a.m., Wednesday, August 10, 2022, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Vincentians have long called for a new and improved main hospital in the country.

On August 9, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – SVG announced that it received funding from the World Bank towards for construction of the planned Acute Referral Hospital at Arnos Vale.

Before the Acute Referral Hospital, however, the government made considerable investments in upgrading clinics, constructing poly clinics across the country and constructing the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Center at Georgetown.

Still, there has been a national call for a new main hospital with extended services.

The government officially started the process of answering that call in a concrete way with their August 9 announcement.

The total cost of the Acute Referral Hospital project at Arnos Vale, including fully equipping the facility will amount to US 98 million dollars.

But, what will the new facility offer?

Speaking at the August 9 press briefing, Minister of Health Hon. St. Clair Prince said:

Minister Prince explained that the Acute Care Hospital is more than just the mere construction of a building but “will be a gamechanger in terms of the delivery of health services in this country….and embodies probably the entire health system here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

According to the Agency for Public Information – API, the Health Minister said the project would allow the Government to be better able to respond to public health emergencies and building resilience. Health services would be expanded, while there would be the introduction of new services such as Cardiology, Neurology including enhance acute stroke care, Thyroid services, Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, enhanced Ophthalmology as well as major invasive surgeries.

The hospital will have about 140 beds.

The Government would still utilize the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in this capacity along with services offered by the World Pediatric Project, as they seek to reform the delivery of healthcare in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the API said.