Minister for Health, Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac, along with a delegation recently toured the Victoria Hospital which was transformed into a full-scale respiratory hospital.

Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac said she is pleased with the work being done on the respiratory hospital and hopes it will assist in handling a possible surge of COVID-19 in Saint Lucia.

“I am hoping that we will be able to use this facility to manage and to treat the virus. This facility provides the opportunity to deliver improved services to patients. The rooms are sizeable and have their own washrooms in most cases; and in others, the washrooms are shared, but the facility looks excellent from what I have seen.”

Chief Health Planner, Dwight Calixte, spoke on the need for government to undertake this project.

“As part of the COVID-19 response, we needed facilities where we could appropriately manage patients with quarantine and isolation. The quarantine facility in the north will take care of those suspected cases awaiting results, while the respiratory hospital would manage suspected cases requiring medical attention.”

Executive Director of the Owen King and Victoria hospitals, Nancy Francis, detailed the works undertaken.

“We have ongoing construction works at the respiratory hospital and at the same time, we have patients coming in to receive care, so we have to ensure that the logistics are carefully coordinated. Daily, we have a manager on ground at the respiratory hospital to ensure that activities are coordinated, and that we are able to respond to any emergencies that may arise.”

The Victoria Hospital has been transformed to treat patients with respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19. It will have an 85-room capacity.