Nassau, The Bahamas - The construction of the Critical Care Block on the grounds of the Princess Margaret Hospital will result in up to 200 jobs for Bahamians during the peak construction phase, Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis said Friday.
Bahamians have played, and will continue to play critical roles in the development, design and construction of the Critical Care Block. Dr. Minnis said that in addition to being designed by Bahamians, the project - which is scheduled to be completed by June, 2013 - will be constructed by Bahamians.
At the conclusion of the construction period, the Block will comprise six state-of-the-art Operating Theatres with modern technology “on par with, and in some instances, surpassing major healthcare facilities in the developed world,” Dr. Minnis said.
It will also comprise 18 recovery beds, 20 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) rooms, all with modern amenities, including private bathroom facilities; 48 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds, new laboratory facilities, upgraded administrative facilities; upgraded electrical, water and sewerage, air-conditioning and fire protection services and a new main entry into the facility and shared services.
“The Critical Care Block will be a multi-storey expansion to the north of the present Accident and Emergency Department commonly known as the north-western quadrant of the campus with a total of 75,000 square feet,” Dr. Minnis said.
“I have been assured by the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), the consultants and the contractors, that the project will be completed no later than June, 2013. In this regard, while I am aware of the track record of our main contractor, Cavalier Construction, I must emphasise to all of the contractors on this project that construction costs must be kept to the amount agreed to in the contract and consistent with the functional requirements of each area.
“I also expect that the project will be completed on schedule,” Dr. Minnis added.
The new Critical Care Block represents the First Phase of the Redevelopment of the Princess Margaret Hospital.
A contract for more than $52 million ($52, 348,958.17 to be exact) for the construction of the Critical Care Block was signed Friday, November 4, 2011 by officials of the Public Hospitals Authority and Cavalier Construction at the head offices of the Public Hospitals Authority.
Dr. Minnis said the first phase of the redevelopment represents the single largest investment in healthcare infrastructure at the Princess Margaret Hospital since it was built almost six decades ago.
“It also represents my government’s ongoing commitment to correcting the long standing deficiencies (encountered at the PMH) and the need for improved theatre capacity and critical additional ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds given the significant growth in the number of cases seen at the Princess Margaret Hospital due to trauma that requires surgery,” Dr. Minnis added
CCB represents ‘single-largest investment’ at PMH in 60 years
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The construction of the proposed Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital represents the “single largest investment in healthcare infrastructure” at the public tertiary healthcare facility since the PMH was constructed almost six decades ago, Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Hubert A. Minnis said Friday.
Dr. Minnis said the Critical Care Block also represents the Government of The Bahamas’ ongoing commitment to correcting the longstanding deficiencies (at the PMH) and the need for improved theatre capacity and “critical additional ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds.”
Officials from the Public Hospitals Authority (on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas) and Cavalier Construction, signed contracts for the construction of the Critical Care Block Friday at the head offices of the Public Hospitals Authority.
The Critical Care Block will be constructed on the northern grounds of the Princess Margaret Hospital north of the present Accident and Emergency Department at a cost of more than $52 million ($52,348,958.17 to be exact). It represents the First Phase of the Government’s redevelopment plan for the Princess Margaret Hospital.
At the conclusion of the construction period, the Block will comprise six state-of-the-art Operating Theatres with modern technology “on par with, and in some instances, surpassing major healthcare facilities in the developed world,” Dr. Minnis said.
It will also comprise 18 recovery beds, 20 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) rooms, all with modern amenities, including private bathroom facilities; 48 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds, new laboratory facilities, upgraded administrative facilities; upgraded electrical, water and sewerage, air-conditioning and fire protection services and a new main entry into the facility and shared services.
“Given the significant growth in the number of cases seen at the Princess Margaret Hospital due to trauma that require surgery, coupled with the increase in the number of general, specialty and subspecialty surgeries, and the frustrations of these professionals having to cope with undersized theatres and failing infrastructure, this new Critical Care Block is necessary to the continued provision of quality healthcare to Bahamians,” Dr. Minnis said.
“This significant investment is also a part of the Government’s commitment to our philosophy that healthcare is a basic human right. We believe that the healing process begins when healthcare services are safe and are conducive to the delivery of efficient, effective and high-quality healthcare, staffed by committed and well-trained personnel,” Dr. Minnis added.
The Health Minister said another key function of the construction of the new centre lay in the creation of a new main entry to the hospital, and the ability for key areas such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that will allow for the amalgamation of key services.
“The existing main entry to the hospital is no longer compliant with modern accessibility codes for handicapped persons who are a key hospital care constituent,” Dr. Minnis said.
“The new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will allow for greater efficiency as it will bring together, for the first time, services now operated in three separate locations,” Dr. Minnis added.
Preparation of the construction site is expected to commence on Monday, November 7, 2011 with “full construction activities” scheduled to begin November 17, 2011. The project is expected to be completed no later than June, 2013.
