Tuesday, November 15, marked two weeks since the recommencement of works at the St. Jude Hospital.

The Government of Saint Lucia and its stakeholders, namely the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economic Development, Contractor, Construction and Industrial Supplies Limited and other key entities are all working in tandem to realize the completion of works on the project.

The structure has been out of commission since a fire razed an operating theatre, the surgical ward and the paediatric wing of the hospital and claimed the lives of three on September 9, 2009.

Moses Jn Baptiste, Minister of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, said: “I want to tell the people of Saint Lucia, the people of the south, the people of my constituency that this Prime Minister, Hon Philip J Pierre, has pledged to complete this hospital. I believe in the Prime Minister, and I have hope and I believe in him. When he tells you that we are going to do this, we are going to do this.”

Acknowledging the trauma inflicted by the disaster and subsequent, arduous process in the reconstruction of the site, Minister of Health Hon. Moses Jn. Baptiste who is also the Parliamentary representative for Vieux Fort north, said quality healthcare is on the way. He says this will be administered and ensured by a board of directors that will be tasked with the responsibility of the day to day management of the statutory body.

“For the people of the south this is not only for better healthcare. We thank God for the availability of the George Odlum National Stadium to house the hospital but we know that the conditions at the George Odlum National Stadium are inadequate for the proper delivery of quality healthcare.

"So, first of all, the patients who will access the newly refurbished St. Jude Hospital will benefit. They will have better facilities within which healthcare can be provided to them. Secondly, the professionals, the nurses, doctors and ancillary staff, all those who work at the hospital will feel better that they are working in better conditions to provide healthcare to our people.”

Minister Jn Baptiste said the joint effort of key stakeholders on the longstanding project marks a certain path to completion of the St. Jude Hospital Reconstruction Project.

“The way we have collaborated gives me hope that this is not a one man show project. This is a project that will be constantly reviewed and we are going to report to the people of saint Lucia on the progress of this project. At every stage we are going to report to the people of Saint Lucia. So that will cover part of the accountability aspect of this project.”

St. Jude Hospital accommodates the healthcare needs of approximately 66,000 people, mainly from the southern belt of the island. Phase 1 of the St. Jude Reconstruction Project involves the fumigation and clean-up of the site.