The Ministry of Health revealed to residents of Micoud at a recent community meeting that a state-of-the-art wellness centre will soon be constructed.

The provision of the new health facility is in response to residents’ appeals for a modern wellness centre that would meet the needs of the growing community, as the current facility is inadequate.

“For the past few years, the Micoud health facility has been operating from a rental building that was not designed for the delivery of health services,” Social Planner in the Ministry of Health, Jackie Joseph Mills, said. “The meeting with the residents was to get a sense as to what their health service needs are, and what they would like, so as to inform the final design of the health facility, and [locate] appropriate sites for the construction of the facility.”

The new health facility will be executed under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP), will be constructed to better withstand hurricanes and storms.

“It will be safer. It will be greener. It will have rain water harvesting systems,” said ministry of Health Engineer, Monty Emmanuel. “We have to ensure that this facility operates before, during, and after a disaster, because it is an essential facility, particularly in times of disaster. We’re building it better, and to be more resilient to the potential negative impacts of a changing climate.”

Residents unanimously agreed on the location of the new wellness centre. They also suggested various features they would like incorporated into the final design.

Construction is anticipated to commence in 2018.