First phase of Dominica-China friendship hospital inaugurated today

The first phase of the advanced Dominica-China friendship hospital was inaugurated today. The construction of the hospital was started in the year 2015 and today the first phase is ready to use.

The ribbon cutting ceremony of the event had the presence of the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Charles Savarin, Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit, Melissa Skerrit and Chinese ambassadors as well as senior engineers. Not only that, the leader of opposition Lennox Linton also made his presence for the event.

Even though it was an extremely hot day, people of Dominica also made their presence in the historic day for Dominica.

The hospital is equipped with advanced technology and facilities capable to treat the major diseases. Besides this, the Dominica-China hospital will facilitate people older than 60 years and children below the age of 18 with free medical facilities.

During his speech, Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit acknowledged the presence of all the officials as well as the leader of the opposition.

Prime Minister said that it is the matter of proud for the Commonwealth of Dominica that the country now has advanced health care facilities here in our homeland, now nobody has to take a ferry or liat (Airline) to visit other islands to get an MRI done because the modern hospital is equipped with the finest machines.

PM also thanked the dignitaries and the People’s Republic of China, he said “Thanks to the longstanding and faithful friendship between the governments of People’s Republic of China and Dominica that citizens of Dominica have a new state of the art health facility to be proud of here in our country.”

Prime Minister discussed the features of the hospitals; he said that this quality of healthcare is first in Dominica. The new accident and emergency building have one operation theatre, 14 observation beds, 4 doctors’ clinic, and two isolations rooms among many modern facilities. 

The hospital is also said to have the largest dialysis unit in the country along with an advanced blood bank and lab.

Prime Minister said, “We will soon complete hotels and houses complexes which will provide the best hotels and public health in the entire English speaking Caribbean.”

Skerrit said that the second phase of the hospital will be completed soon and it will also have a helipad just in case any patient needs to fly to other countries for some health care then the helicopter will come here instead of going to the Douglas Charles Airport.

“When our grandchildren will read about a Dominica in the year 2020 they will read about a Dominica which had the best roads networks, best health care services, and modern infrastructure in the whole English speaking the Caribbean which is a thing of proud,” said Skerrit.

H.E. Lu Kun Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China during his speech said “It gives me enormous pleasure and honour to attend today’s handover and opening ceremony of new Dominica-China hospital. On behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to extend my warm congratulations and sincere regards at this moment to the government of Dominica as today is a special day for the Dominican medical history.”

Mr. Lu Kun said that more than 500 Chinese aid projects are currently going on in 120 countries across the world. The Chinese ambassador expressed that this hospital project was most challenging for them as they had to construct a new building, while a number of patients were being treated at the same time.

“The quality and structure of this hospital is very very strong as it is hurricane-proof. The Chinese government is actively supportive to the call of Dr Roosevelt Skerrit to build a climate-resilient nation, so we changed the design and replaced all the old roofs with concrete roofs, this is for the safety of every doctor, nurse and patient at the hospital. In future serious patients will not have to travel to other islands for treatment, yet in fact patients will travel to Dominica to get better treatment,” he added.

Divulging the details of the Hospital, Dr. Kenneth Darroux Minister for Health and Social Services said that two aesthetically pleasing buildings are built to provide accident and emergency services and a radiology department, complete with modern state of the art imaging equipment. Which will also include brand new CT scan, digital ultrasound machine with high-intensity focusing and MRI machine.