A much-appreciated donation of equipment by Viceroy Anguilla has placed the Health Authority in a position to deliver better patient care to the people of the island. Purchased at a cost of just over US$37,500, the equipment comprises one Fracture Bed, one Adult Ventilator and one CPAP Machine.
In thanking Viceroy at the handing over ceremony on Friday, July 15, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority of Anguilla, Mr. George Brown, described the equipment as “lifeblood devices”. He also spoke about the initial arrangements that were made by members of his staff and Viceroy to source and provide the equipment respectively. He was highly appreciative of the corporate gesture of the resort.
Minister of Health and Social Development, Mr. Evans McNiel Rogers, was grateful to Viceroy for giving back to the people of Anguilla – noting that Anguillians had also contributed to the resort through duty-free concessions facilitated by the Government. “I thank Viceroy for present and past donations and I look forward to future gifts,” the Minister added while referring to his continuing plans for a state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Anguilla towards which he is raising funds.
General Surgeon, Dr. Vonetta George, was particularly delighted with the fracture or orthopaedic bed. “In the three years I have been in Anguilla, as a General Surgeon, I have also been dealing with orthopaedic patients since we do not have an orthopaedic surgeon,” she stated. “One of the challenges is having proper management for patients especially with long bone fractures, in the lower limbs, that can be treated here at the hospital on a comfortable bed with the necessary weights and other requirements.”
Dr. George was pleased that a lifting device is attached to the bed as most orthopaedic patients usually spend six to eight weeks in bed and often need to be moved. She added that the new bed had now made it possible to treat more than one orthopaedic patient at a time.
Anaesthetist Nurse, Mrs. Diana Claxton-Carty, said the new ventilators had also made it possible to use improved methods of providing healthcare for patients more easily rather than doing so through manual means. “I can say it is a wonderful gift and I really appreciate it,” she remarked about the equipment.
Mrs. Nekyra Rogers, Special Events Manager at Viceroy, told the gathering that it was a pleasure for her and her team to be involved in the resort’s “give back to Anguilla programme”. She explained that the hotel provided the equipment on behalf of its guests who contributed to the cost. The gift package also included one hundred comfort kits for children admitted to the hospital.
Others who participated in the handing over ceremony were the Departmental Manager at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Mrs. Alice Haywood, who chaired the proceedings; the Director of Facilities, Mr. Malcolm Webster, who delivered the invocation; and the Manager of the Operating Theatre, Ms. Erdelle Fleming, who gave the Vote of Thanks.
