By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration plans to allocate $75 million in the midterm budget for major renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital’s legacy ward — including much needed upgrades to the children’s ward — according to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville.

Dr Darville made the revelation amid public concerns about the condition of PMH’s paediatric units. 

A parent recently complained that the children’s ward lacked air conditioning and hot water. The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) later confirmed that repairs are underway to address the issue.

On Friday, Dr Darville acknowledged the long-standing infrastructure issues, noting that the PHA, which manages PMH’s daily operations, has been actively discussing the challenges across the facility — particularly in the legacy wing, which spans multiple floors.

“Last year, we did renovations on the structural problems associated with the legacy unit, which now will be modified into a dialysis unit and then on the second floor you have the eye ward and the eye theatres, which will also go to repairs and on the third floor is where you have the paediatric ward," he told reporters. 

“The Bahamian people could rest assured that in this midterm budget, funding has been allocated in the $75m that will go towards the renovation of the legacy ward and address these long term legacy issues that existed with the paediatric ward.”

Dr Darville added that the government is also pressing ahead with plans for a new specialty hospital dedicated to paediatric, maternal, and adolescent care.

“So, we have a strategy,” he said, “and all of the preparation has been done by our quantity surveyors and the Bahamian people will begin to see  work on the legacy unit in short order,” he said.

Dr Darville also gave an update on the ongoing renovations at PMH’s Accident and Emergency department, long a point of concern for patients and healthcare workers.

He said the project remains on track for completion next month, but declined to give a specific opening date.

“There's a lot of moving parts associated with those renovations. It's an old structure and so as we think that we are closer to opening the facility, we realize we find additional challenges.

“It's been one of those things that has troubled me as the minister but in short order, we want to open up our front room, which is the accident emergency, to the general population so that they can get a better understanding that what we have been doing for the last three years.”