Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands led executives from Walt Disney Company and Disney Cruise Lines on a tour of Princess Margaret Hospital’s pediatric services yesterday.

The Health Minister apprised the group on improvement works earmarked for the southern corridor of the Children’s Ward, pointing out the critical need for major upgrades to the roof, ceiling, electrical and air conditioning systems.

The upgrades, he noted are part of the Public Hospitals Authority’s objective to ensure that PMH’s pediatric services meet all regional and international standards. Dr Sands also led a tour through the accident & emergency department where he informed the group about the progress of the ongoing urgent & emergency care project. A stop was also made at the pediatric emergency unit and asthma bay, before the Disney group visited the critical care block’s neonatal intensive care unit.

Leading the representatives from Disney was Jeff Vahle, President of Disney Signature Experiences. Other members of the delegation included Kim Prunty, Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs, Zenia Mucha, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Communications Officer and Elissa Margolis, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Social Responsibility, of the Walt Disney Company.

In 2018, Disney announced a five-year, global commitment of $100 million to help reimagine the patient journey in children’s hospitals through its signature philanthropic initiative, Disney Team of Heroes. The company’s interest in the improvement projects at PMH stems from Disney’s long-standing charitable commitment to children facing serious illness and their families, which goes back to founder Walt Disney.

PHA Managing Director, Catherine Weech, PMH Hospital Administrator (Actg) Sonia Rose, Consultant Pediatric Oncologist at PMH, Dr Corrine Cinquee-Brown, and Nicholas Reece, a member of the Public Hospitals Authority’s Board of Directors, joined the Minister for the tour. Following the tour, the Minister met with the Disney team to briefly discuss how the organisation could potentially help with the important projects earmarked for pediatric services at PMH.

The Disney representatives expressed to the Minister that following the tour at PMH, they would be touring two of the public clinics in Eleuthera and are in discussions to support upgrades to those health facilities.