fp Turks and Caicos

InterHealth Canada in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Government is reaching milestones in the new TCI Hospital projects. Not only will the islands of Providenciales and Grand Turk be receiving world-class hospital facilities, but a highly trained and experienced staff of doctors and nurses, state of the art equipment, as well as creating many new jobs.

Early in 2006 the Turks and Caicos government created an initiative to provide the people of the TCI with access to more extensive health care while streamlining the costs. The UK Department of Health was approached for advice, which recommended following a model used in the UK over the past 15years.

The basis of the system called ISTC, Independent Sector Treatment Centres, consists of a private health care provider that builds and operates a hospital on behalf of the government. The benefits intended with this system compared to the government building its own hospital, is to be able to offer the highest quality of care at the best “value for money” to the government. This is possible by means of capitalizing on the expertise and reach of an independent health care company.

With these guidelines in hand and with the assistance of experienced UK specialist advisors, the TCIG requested bids from international organizations that provide such services. A transparent bidding process was completed and InterHealth Canada was selected to be the provider for our new local hospitals.

InterHealth Canada , with over 15 years of experience , has been working diligently since the acceptance of its bid to design, construct, equip and staff the hospitals. The funding for the project is provided through loan arrangements and equity investments made by InterHealth Canada. In return, the Turks and Caicos Government is committed to paying annually in monthly installments over 23 years of hospital operations.

The good news is that the commitment on behalf of the TCIG and InterHealth Canada will last for 25 years. That means that this is a long-term, dependable and convenient solution for the local health care needs. Additionally, these new hospitals are creating a large amount of new jobs in the TCI.

The new hospitals are planned to employee a total of 265 staff. The first phase of employment was taken on by InterHealth Canada to employ as many of the current hospital and clinic staff as possible. Of those who were previously employed by the Myrtle Rigby and Grand Turk Hospitals, 128, of which almost half are Belongers, have been re-employed by the new hospitals. In addition, they require over 135 additional staff.

The next phase of recruitment has focused on contacting Turks and Caicos Islanders currently working abroad in the health care industry and offer them an opportunity to come back home. Beyond that, they are looking for staff locally and on an international scale that can provide the specialized services that will be required. The new recruits are expected to start coming to the island as early as November.

A general rule of economics, it that for each one job created in a country it offers the opportunity for three more to come. This rule is based on the principle that if one person comes to the island, they need a car, housing, food, etc. This in turn creates jobs in those sectors and gives an enormous boost to our economy as a whole. Given the current world economic situation, this is very welcome news.

In addition, the state of the art facilities will also represent a large improvement in care for individuals in the TCI. In speaking with the TCI Hospitals Project Director, George Commander, he described the hospitals as full service hospitals which will provide a broad range of care. This includes primary and secondary care, accident and emergency as well as diagnostics including a full path lab, MRI scanner, CAT scanner and advanced X-Ray system. Many treatments that previously had to be given abroad can now be administered directly in the TCI.

There will be 26 physicians and doctors of various specialties as well as 70 nurses and 10 mid-wives employed as full-time staff across the two facilities. This is in addition to a dentist, physio-therapist, radiologist, pathologist and many more specialized care providers and support staff.

Mr. Commander stressed the value InterHealth Canada places on quality and training of their staff. According to the requirements set by the TCIG, the hospitals will acquire Canadian Accreditation and work to the highest international standards of care.

Another bit of good news is that Mr. Commander reported that both hospitals are on schedule to open as planned in April 2010.