NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (May 10, 2021) – – The multi-million dollar expansion project at the Alexandra Hospital on Nevis is getting back on track after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier and Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), gave an update on the project at a recent press engagement.
“I gather that the external works are complete; the shell if you will, that is now done. The roof, walls, everything, that’s done.
“My understanding is that we have selected some consultants and they are in the process of reconfiguring the interior. Why is that necessary? It’s because as you know hospitals are a unique type of building. It’s not an ordinary office building and so we have discovered that there is a particular flow to the building that they’re saying is required.
“And so the consultants are going to help us in terms of knowing that X-ray or radiology needs to be next to [operating room] etc. There’s a particular flow so that’s what they are working on now and once that process is complete I expect that construction will continue apace,” he said.
The Premier said the NIA is looking forward to the project moving forward and has already begun to source equipment as it prepares for resumption of the internal construction.
The $19 million project, which will see a new wing of more than 60,000 square feet added to the existing building, will include a physiotherapy wing, paediatric isolation wing, laboratory wing, operating theatre and radiology wing.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 25, 2021) — The Ministry of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) purchased a new state-of-the-art US$59,000 VITROS XT 3400 chemistry analyzer for the Alexandra Hospital’s Lab to assist in the speedy delivery of health care on the island.
Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Health said at his monthly press conference in Cabinet Room on March 24, 2021, the new piece of equipment which has been installed and commissioned replaces an older model which broke down.
“We acquired it last year but it has now been commissioned and the reason for delay was the fact that the technicians couldn’t come at the time because of the COVID situation…if you were wondering as I am wondering what a chemistry analyser does? It is used to test blood chemistries which include blood glucose, cholesterol, liver and renal functions,” he said.
The Health Minister noted that the new piece of equipment was important because the Lab was forced to send tests to St. Kitts for analysis. The delay placed patients at a disadvantage since doctors were unable to diagnose them in a timely manner.
“If you went to the hospital and you had an issue and they had to run these tests: glucose, liver and renal function they had to take whatever samples and send them over to St. Kitts. Well, I am pleased to say today that that is no more,” he said.
Mr. Brantley also announced the purchase of three non-contact scanners by the NIA for use at the hospital and the airport.
“I am also pleased to announce that three recently purchased non-contact face recognition thermal scanners will now be added to the list of equipment used for monitoring persons visiting our hospital and traveling through the Vance W. Amory [International] Airport. These scanners were purchased by us at a cost of just over US$5,000,” he said.
The Premier used the opportunity to commend Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams, Junior Minister of Health and Gender Affairs for leading the team at the ministry to ensure the delivery of a premium health care delivery service on Nevis.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 11, 2021) – – The Ministry of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has received a grant from the Government of Japan to acquire a PCR machine so that testing for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases can be done at the Alexandra Hospital laboratory.
During a virtual signing ceremony for the Project for the improvement of medical equipment in Nevis on March 11, 2021, Premier Hon. Mark Brantley, Senior Minister of Health in the NIA and Minister of Foreign Affairs for St. Kitts and Nevis, recorded his appreciation to His Excellency Tatsuo Hirayama, Ambassador of Japan to St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as the Government and people of Japan for the timely grant.
“Testing as you know is part of the critical response to COVID-19 and… it has proven very expensive and very time-consuming.
“For Nevis to continue to have send tests to St. Kitts or sometimes farther overseas in order to get results which sometimes takes from 24 hours to a few days…there really is an inherent danger of having to wait too long to be able to access testing results.
“And so this donation is timely; this donation will move us forward in a significant way on the island of Nevis to offer testing which is rapid and which can allow our people to know what their status is at a much earlier stage, and therefore help us in the health community to treat, to isolate where necessary, and so prevent the dreaded community spread,” he said.
“As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, I must assure you that this bit of equipment will greatly improve our testing capacity here on Nevis.
“I am told that our monthly testing bill ranges from $17,000 up to $22,000…and so you see the addition of this very timely gift will not only enhance our testing capacity, but it also lessens our financial burden.
“I want to say how grateful we are as a government, how grateful we are as a people for your continued support,” she said.
Ms. Shelisa Martin Clarke, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Gender Affairs in the NIA, explained that the procurement of a PCR machine translates into an increase in the services offered to the Nevisian public at the Alexandra Hospital laboratory.
“It would be a great investment for the lab staff as well as the people of Nevis in that it can further be utilized for other tests such as HIV viral loads and Tuberculosis, both of which are sent overseas for analysis,” she said.
Also present at the ceremony held at the Alexandra Hospital were Dr. Judy Nisbett, Chief Mecical Officer; Mr. Gary Pemberton, Public Health Administrator at the Alexandra Hospital and several other senior hospital employees.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 22, 2021) – Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, along with the other Cabinet Ministers of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) became the first persons on Nevis to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on February 24, 2021.
The Premier, Ministers Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Deputy Premier, Hon. Eric Evelyn, Hon. Spencer Brand, Hon. Troy Liburd, Hon. Hazel Brandy Williams, and Cabinet colleagues received their first dose of the vaccine at the Charlestown Health Centre, Nevis.
Mr. Brantley, Senior Minister of Health in the NIA, said his Cabinet is leading by example to demonstrate to the Nevisian public that getting vaccinated against the virus is safe and highly recommended if Nevis is to achieve herd immunity.
“Today is a very historic day for us because the entire Cabinet, led by myself as Premier, and certain healthcare and frontline line workers, we all took the step of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
“The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is what we have and we have demonstrated that it is safe and it is the only way to get our people past this COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m delighted that all of our Cabinet colleagues have come out to lead by example and to show the population there is absolutely no risk,” he said.
The Premier continued, “Certainly we look forward to the rest of the population getting vaccinated. We know that nobody is safe until everybody is safe, so we encourage one and all to go out and get vaccinated. Let’s fight this COVID-19 together and keep Nevis and the Federation safe.”
Hon. Hazel Brandy Williams, Minister of Health in the NIA, informed that the jab was quick and virtually painless. She encouraged the populace to make appointments at their nearest health centre to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Several senior health professionals including Dr. Judy Nisbett, Medical Officer of Health in the NIA Ministry of Health and Chair of Nevis’ COVID-19 Task Force, and Chandreka Persaud-Wallace, Matron-designate of the Alexandra Hospital also took their first dose of the vaccine on Wednesday.
The government of St. Kitts and Nevis launched its national vaccination program on Monday, February 22, 2021 from its first batch of two thousand (2000) doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, courtesy of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Wednesday’s vaccinations signaled the roll out of the NIA’s program on Nevis. Frontline workers and at risk persons are among the first wave of persons that will be receiving the COVID-19 vaccines.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 22, 2021) — Persons wishing to access the Ambulance Service at the Alexandra Hospital on Government Road, now have a designated number to do so. As of Friday, January 22, 2021, the emergency number is 469-3333.
The Alexandra Hospital in the Ministry of Health and Gender Affairs made the announcement through a press statement from the urging persons to call the number for medical emergencies.
“The general public is asked to call 469-3333 in the event of medical emergencies which can include: loss of consciousness, sudden inability to move or speak, sudden confusion, seizures that are not stopping, pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding that is not stopping, severe allergic reactions, severe burns and scalds and other forms of injury.
“The 469-3333 line is available 24/7 and will connect you directly to emergency personnel in the emergency room, bypassing the switchboard operator,” the statement said.
It indicated that persons using the service could expect to provide important information to emergency personnel.
“You will be asked questions to determine the nature of the emergency. This may include symptoms and medical conditions of the person that needs help. You will be asked the location of the emergency. This may include street name, directions, and landmarks to guide the ambulance to the location where help is needed. You will be asked to provide a number that we can call back in case the call is dropped or in case more information needs to be collected.
“Not all emergencies are the same. Please provide as much information as you can so that we can provide the best assistance for the situation. Please continue to follow the media for more promotional messages about this emergency service provided by the Alexandra Hospital,” the statement concluded.
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NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 20, 2021) — Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams, Junior Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), says while the surgical team at the Alexandra Hospital is being celebrated for life-saving surgery on a shark attack victim by doctors in the United States of America and the management of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), the health facility will continue to deliver top notch service to locals as well.
Mrs. Brandy-Williams made the comment when she spoke to the Department of Information on January 20, 2021, on the heels of the expressions of gratitude and commendation disclosed in a St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS) press release dated January 15, 2021.
“We celebrate the accolades from the US doctors and we will continue to ensure that our residents receive similar care at our facility. The Ministry of Health and Gender Affairs looks forward to better days ahead for our people as we continue to provide the quality service that they need. Our mantra for 2021 is ‘The Year of Endless Possibilities.’ We endeavour to exceed all expectations by providing professional service,” she said.
The junior Health Minister also used the opportunity to commend the surgical team at the hospital for its noteworthy efforts to save the RUSVM medical student attacked by a shark while swimming with friends.
“The shark attack on January 9th that threw the Federation into a frenzy was quite unfortunate for a Ross University female student. I wish to compliment the doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who played a role in making the student’s experience at Alexandra Hospital as pleasant and as successful as possible.
“The surgical team, headed by Dr. Cardell Rawlins, must be commended for their quick and effective response to the situation which could have ended tragically. The information shared was that everyone was calm and very efficient,” she said.
The SKNIS release noted that during a virtual meeting with Dr. The Hon. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, on January 15, 2021, a three-member team of senior officials from the RUSVM called to express gratitude and offer commendation to the Coast Guard, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the surgical team at the Alexandra Hospital in Nevis, for their quick response in assisting one of their students who suffered significant injury in a shark attack.
“The officials passed on compliments from the trauma team in the USA to the medical team on the island, stating that the surgery was comparable to anything that could have been performed anywhere in the US. It was also said that the quick response obviously prevented the situation from being far worse,” the release stated.
]]>BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, January 01, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said that his Team Unity administration will continue to make the necessary investments that will build on the already strong relationship that now exists between the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
One such measure will be improving the functioning of the Federal Office in Nevis to better serve the people living on the sister island.
“We have advanced the bond between the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration, and more importantly the people to people contact between Kittitians and Nevisians is at the highest and best level in history,” Prime Minister Harris said in his 2021 New Year’s Day Address.
The prime minister added, “A Federal Office that is courteous, efficient, and effective, will allow more to be done. It will allow and enhance access to my office by our citizens and residents on both sides of the channel and relieve Nevisians of the inconvenience of having to travel to Basseterre to consult with their Prime Minister.”
The honourable prime minister pointed to the historic and unprecedented support of the federal government to the NIA, evidenced by the substantial direct budgetary allocation of more than $220 million since 2015.
“Funding for projects on Nevis is now commonplace,” Prime Minister Harris said. “We have given support for law enforcement: a brand new Police Station and Fire Hall at Newcastle, and installation of CCTV. We have also provided assistance in the following critical areas: the fight against COVID-19, the construction of Technical and Vocational spaces at high schools in Nevis, the payment of economic costs for students from Nevis, joint procurement of pharmaceuticals, and for the operation of STEP in Nevis.”
The Federal Government’s support to Nevis over the last five years also includes the construction of the new diagnostic wing at the Alexandra Hospital, the Mundo Track and the new Nevis Treasury Building.
Prime Minister Harris said his Government will continue to do all it can for all citizens and residents, adding that, “From time to time we must remind ourselves that this is one state, one Federal government to serve all the people of the State.”
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 10, 2020) – Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams, Junior Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), says despite financial constraints the government plans to undertake several health care projects in 2021.
The Junior Health Minister unveiled the prospective projects during the 2020 Budget Debate in the Nevis Island Assembly on December 09, 2020. She pointed out however, that 2021 will continue to be a challenging year financially.
“Providing that funding is available this is what we hope to see from the Ministry of Health and Gender Affairs in the new year.
“We endeavour to start the process for a new Charlestown Health Centre, and in year one we are looking at consultation with the people, drawing the plans, engaging the engineers, and so we have budgeted an amount to take care of that in the first year…
“We will continue to seek funding and collaborate with any funding agencies for a state-of-the-art poly-clinic in Gingerland. The proposal was done this year, so we go to the next step to try and see if we can find funding for that facility,” she said.
Mrs. Brandy-Williams emphasized that these projects will be undertaken in phases.
“It’s a phased approach, one year we do one thing and then the second year, until we get it done. We don’t have unlimited financing and so like anything else…you have to budget,” she said.
Mrs. Brandy Williams further revealed the NIA’s plan to purchase a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, which will cost approximately US$1.2 million.
She said in the first quarter of 2021 the government is hoping to make the initial down payment on the piece of medical equipment, and has already secured the resources for that payment.
The Junior Minister added that the Ministry of Health intends to continue on-the-job training for staff at the island’s medical facilities which include an initiative involving health professionals from large, busy institutions visiting local facilities to observe healthcare workers on the job. Staff from the Nevis facilities would then visit those institutions to gain experience working in fast-paced medical facilities which treat a greater variety of health issues.
“We are looking at [this] new initiative as part of the rebranding of health service and service at Alexandra [Hospital]…so all this is being put in place so when the new facility is done our people are ready to give the top-notch service that we expect of them,” the Minister said.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS November 03, 2020 (Nevis Island Administration) — Dr. Judy Nisbett, Chair of the Nevis COVID-19 Task Force who is also the Medical Officer of Health on the island, has confirmed reports of a number of cases of fish poisoning treated at the Alexandra Hospital.
She was at the time responding to a question at the Nevis COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre Briefing at Long Point on November 02, 2020, inquiring of possible cases of fish positioning on Nevis due to a number of cases reported on St. Kitts.
“We have had confirmed cases of fish poisoning reported from the Alexandra Hospital, however, it’s not a large number of reports. We have had five for last week.
“What we are doing now is to determine what’s the cause, if there is a link to any particular source and once we have done that investigation, then we will be able to say for sure if there is a particular site that fishermen, for example, should not fish,” she said.
Meantime, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources in St. Kitts in a press statement issued on November 02, 2020 stated that the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources is currently investigating reports of fish poisoning in St. Kitts, particularly at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex, and as a result had suspended its Fresh Fish Programme until the source of the alleged poisoning is discovered.
“The Department is taking the necessary steps to ensure food safety and in so doing is examining its current stock of fish at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex that was being offered for sale. Additional measures to address these reports include the removal of all fish from the complex and the sanitizing of the complex. The investigations are continuing with the assistance of the Bureau of Standards.
All protocols are being reviewed with an effort to identifying and mitigating any public health threats. The Department wishes to advise all concerned that if an illness is suspected related to fish poisoning, medical care should be sought immediately and public health authorities should be notified,” the statement said.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 03, 2020) — Two hundred and six Nevisians continue receiving care from the Nevis Eye Care Programme at the Alexandra Hospital, through a Telemedicine Clinic which was introduced to ensure that patients got essential eye care in spite of the travel challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hon. Mark. Brantley, Premier of Nevis who is also the Minister of Health, made the disclosure at his recent monthly press conference which was held in Cabinet Room at Pinney’s Estate.
“The eye care programme in Nevis is now world renowned. Doctors come here, specialists come here twice a year normally to deliver state-of-the-art eye care to the people of Nevis and the wider Federation because many from St. Kitts are now accessing eye care in Nevis.
“Sadly, they were unable to travel this year to come to us but they were able to deliver, through telemedicine care, to some 206 persons, and those 206 persons were checked, their vision, interocular pressure and they performed something they called optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan. Results were sent to the team in the United States via a secure platform that could only be accessed by the doctors there and the nurses, and assessments were made and care was provided. So even though they couldn’t travel we were still able to provide care for some 206 persons,” he said.
Nurse Jenevie Daniel, a retired nurse who has been with the eye care programme since its inception in 1996, in an invited comment on November 02, 2020, described the new clinic as a success one.
“During the former physical bi-annual eye clinics, patients from St. Kitts were also attending. The Telemedicine Clinic covered a total of 206 patients who were all Nevisians.
“To date, the programme is going quite well considering that it’s a pilot project. It was readily accepted by the patients. However, the most challenging aspect was the technology. Success was achieved by communication with Dr. Hubbe and through strong team work. I could not ask for a better team of nurses,” she said.
Nurse Daniel who has been recalled to assist in the eye care programme, at one point in her career headed the eye care clinic. She explained that Dr. Raymond Hubbe, the ophthalmologist in charge of the Nevis Eye Care Programme, brought up the idea of the Eye Care Telemedicine Services, following which Zoom meetings ensued.
The stakeholders who attended included Dr. Judy Nisbett, Medical Officer of Health; Mrs. Eren Hanley, Health Services Administrator; Ms. Ermine Jeffers, Coordinator of Community Nursing Services; and Eye Care Clinic nursing staff.
“The discussions involved the programme, and the programme was to facilitate some patients who were scheduled for the April/May 2020 session, and these patients had to fit the criteria that was specified by Dr. Hubbe.
“Information on past and current visits as well as images of previous OCT scans were inclusive for patients’ data. How to handle information going back and forth which involved the IT team was also discussed. Provision of consent forms and this gave the nurses the permission to send the patient’s medical records via e-services to the ophthalmologists in the US,” Nurse Daniel explained while addressing the some of the steps taken to execute the clinic.
“We had to prepare for the clinical sessions, so in preparation for this the names, the addresses and telephone numbers were selected for those patients who were to be seen during the designated period. Each patient was called, the telemedicine procedure was explained and then given a date and time to attend. The assessment of patients started on August 31, 2020, and spanned a three-week period,” she added.
The nursing staff, made up of nurses Lenore Pemberton, Donna Hill, and Daniel, conducted the examinations and collected the necessary information to send off island via the internet for diagnosis and the course of treatment.
“Based on clinical findings and the interpretation of the OCT scans, patients with priority needs were among the first batch to be sent to Dr. Hubbe and his team of specialists.
“After the online files of patients who were assessed by the doctors, reports and prescriptions for follow-up medications were returned to the nurses. Each patient was contacted via the telephone. His/her report was discussed and then asked to collect his prescription at the eye clinic. The programme is currently into this phase, that is reporting to patients and picking up prescriptions,” she said.
The Nevis Eye Care Program (NECP) is a program of Vision for All Inc., a non-profit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and restoring sight to underserved populations worldwide. The Nevis Eye Care Program works in partnership with the Ministry of Health and especially with the Nevis Public Health Nurses.
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