The Board of Directors of the Millennium Heights Medical Complex recently engaged the advisory and technical services of consultants, Narayana Health to assist with the transition from the Victoria Hospital to the Owen King EU Hospital.

Transitioning Director of the OKEU Hospital Dr. Lisa Charles says she is pleased with consultancy as it will pinpoint the critical faults at the OKEU hospital.

“It is an assessment visit so it will within a month I hope provide a full status report on exactly what is the status of all the components of the plant and facilities and then from there we can generate a work plan allow us to begin the recommissioning of various systems for the opening in 2020.”

Executive Director of the Victoria Hospital Nancy Francis says the consultancy is important as it will provide an assessment of their status now and the best way forward.

“The consultancy, at the end of the process we will know what is required, the time frame. The clinical assessment will provide some of the clinical issues that needs to be addressed and we will also the technical aspects such as our waste management systems, cooling systems and how we are ready to fully move the hospital so can we administer effective and quality healthcare to the nation.”

Deputy Head of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit Charon Gardner-Hippolyte says the government remains committed to provide Saint Lucians with quality healthcare and therefore wants to ensure the OKEU hospital is opened at the soonest.

“We need to provide affordable and efficient health care systems for our citizens. The transition to the Owen King Hospital has now reached a critical point. The majority of the faulty equipment has been fixed or will be replaced shortly. In view of this positive progress, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister has set a deadline for us to move in by the first quarter of 2020.”

The assessment report will be used as a guide to finalize the scope of services and the time frame for the completion of the transition from the Victoria Hospital to the Owen King EU hospital.