Ten years after the initial fire that destroyed the hospital, the Government of Saint Lucia and the Government of Taiwan have promised the people of the South that their new hospital is on its way.
The Minister for Health and Wellness Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac expresses confidence in the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to bring the project to fruition. “The St. Jude Hospital is not just a hospital in the South of the island that will serve the people, tourists, family, friends and foreigners; it is not just another necessary project; it is not just a project that we have waited long and spent millions of scarce dollars to complete. It is a monument of faith, hope and charity to the people of Saint Lucia. Faith that the God we serve must have seen the catastrophic effects of the fire that was willed on a structure that was much in need to repair and replacement and a people with little and insufficient funds to do so,” Sen. Isaac states.
Funding for the hospital includes 10 million US dollars which was left over from an existing loan with Taiwan and an additional 20 million US dollars, totaling 30 million US dollars. The Taiwanese President H.E. Tsai Ing-Wen has long hoped to support the reconstruction efforts.
“Since taking office Prime Minister Chastanet has pushed hard for improvements to St. Jude Hospital. Through the combined efforts of both our governments and public private partnership we can finally begin to realize the dreams that the people of Saint Lucia have looked forward to for such a long time. I find it especially meaningful to be participating in the ground-breaking ceremony for St. Jude Hospital’s renovation and delighted to be able to witness this important moment alongside distinguished guests and the people of Saint Lucia. This redevelopment will not only improve healthcare quality for people in the southern part of the island but also contribute towards the UN SDG of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing or all at all ages,” The Taiwanese President discloses.
Government has appointed the Overseas Engineering and Construction Corporation (OECC) as the main contractor to building the new hospital. Prime Minister, Hon Allen Chastanet says that given the OECC’s track record, he is confident that the project will be delivered. “The initial attempt at reconstruction had not, we regret to say, been successful. In fact, it has produced very disappointing results. But this town of Vieux Fort needs and deserves a modern hospital to serve this southern part of the island. This is what we are embarking on today. This project must be completed once and for all,” The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia says.
The 90 bed facility will cater to both inpatient and outpatient services and will see the construction of a new wing to incorporate all the functions and services of the existing East and Surgical wings. There will be integration through retrofitting of some existing building to achieve a fully functioning hospital which will match the services of a level four hospital.