Doctors ask about lack of consultation and how location will be staffed

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

DOZENS of residents voiced their opposition to the construction of a $290m hospital at New Providence Highway during a rowdy town hall meeting yesterday.

Residents from the Stapledon, Rock Crusher, Dolphin Drive and West Grove communities gathered to discuss their grievances at the Stapledon school auditorium.

Panelists included Health Minister Dr Michael Darvile, Public Hospitals Authority managing director Aubynette Rolle, Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Works Minister Clay Sweeting.

Dr Gemma Rolle, president of the Medical Association of The Bahamas, said doctors were unaware of the plan and questioned how the government would staff the facility given the burden and current lack of manpower at Princess Marget Hospital.

 “The $291m that had been allocated for a new site, that’s to build it, how will it continue to function and be run when we are having challenges in the current system, again, the drain of physicians,” she asked.

“And also, when was it going to be planned that the physicians who are supposed to be working this will be notified? Are we to expect foreign physicians to come in as well as foreign nurses? We also have a drain of our nurses to the United States.”

Dr Darville told Dr Rolle to “reach out directly” to the PHA managing director for the answer but defended the country’s health system while acknowledging the shortage of allied health care workers.

The 50-acre facility will be located off the New Providence Highway between the six-legged roundabout and Saunders Beach roundabout. The 200-bed speciality hospital will specifically host women and children, featuring a neonatal unit, imaging services, morgue and pathology services, and telemedicine.

Dr Darville noted there were four alternative states for the facility. The Gladstone Road location was in a flood zone. The area near the Ministry of Works had sinkholes. Two other undisclosed locations were deemed too small.

One resident questioned the potential decline in property value, increased traffic and noise population given the hospital’s proposed location.

“The first question is the economic impact this facility will have on the real estate in close proximity. The real estate will go up. The value of your asset will go up,” Dr Darville responded, prompting jeers from the crowd who said it was inaccurate.

Dr Darville added: “The second question as it relates to noise pollution and traffic, listen here, I live in the east. I gotta get up six o’clock in the morning to get to work for nine, so, everywhere in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, in New Providence, is filled with traffic.”

“We need an overpass in The Bahamas and we have to work towards it because the traffic is an issue. Now as far as our EMT services are concerned, our EMT service must be very sensitive to noise pollution, as well as the siren from our police officers.

“We have to come up with a strategy in the country where other countries have done to mitigate and manage noise pollution brought on by sirens. And so, I want to let you know that traffic is everywhere and we need to mitigate traffic.”

Another town hall meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, May 16, at Living Waters Kingdom Ministries. Dr Darville assured residents that continued consultation is expected with the Ministry of Health in the coming weeks.