The La Plaine Clinic in Dominica has been selected by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) among nearly 350 other hospitals and health-centers across the Caribbean to undergo a transformation that is safer, greener, and more resilient to natural disasters.
This forms part of the framework of the Smart Health Care Facilities Project, an initiative supported by the UK Department for International Development (UKaid).
Sixteen health facilities were selected by PAHO after analyzing the safety situation of nearly 350 hospitals and health centers in the region, and their likelihood of continuing to function in disasters.
PAHO project coordinator, Dana Van Alphen, said that these “smart hospitals” will lower operating costs and reduce risks.
“By becoming ‘smart hospitals’, selected health-centers will lower operating costs, reduce risks that can occur in case of disasters, and protect the environment,” Alphen said.
A health facility is considered ‘smart’ when it combines structural and operational safety with environmentally friendly interventions with a reasonable cost-benefit ratio.
The project is being funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented through PAHO’s Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Department in partnership with the Ministry of Health in all the seven chosen countries.
The other six countries to benefit from this project are Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Guyana, and Belize.
With a budget of $49-million, the organization projects that by the year 2020, more than 600 hospitals and health facilities will be evaluated and 50 will be transformed to be safer and more environmentally friendly.
As part of the initiative, participating health institutions are expected to have reinforced roofs and windows, so they will not be damaged during hurricanes. Work will also be done on installing water tanks to collect rainwater for services, laundry and gardens, as well as the installation of solar panels, provide accessibility for people with disabilities, use LED bulbs that consume less energy and replace old air conditioning equipment with more efficient models.
In this second phase, which began in 2015, in addition to analyzing the safety situation of nearly 350 hospitals and health centers in the seven countries, PAHO has trained more than 200 people from various sectors including construction, public officials, and private sector in energy and water conservation, use of the Smart toolkit, and contingencies for health facilities.
The project is currently ready to commence refurbishment work at the selected facilities.
I’m looking at the entrance and I’m also thinking about the elderly and those who have ambulatory difficulties. Let’s hope they address access for those who have difficulty walking.
I’m looking at the entrance and I am thinking about access for the elderly and those who have ambulatory issues.
Great! I hope the water tanks are not the ubiquitous black tanks perched on rooftops, for these tanks are made of plastic which contains dioxin, a know carcinogen. Rather the water tanks can be built using cost-effective ferro-cement technology for which technicians have been trained in Dominica.
sell it to them!
But you don’t understand? The facility is going to be upgraded
This great news for LA, once completed, hopefully other health care facilities in other parishes will do the same or better!
This is good, health and enhancement news for LaPlaine, for Dominica.
Thanks to PAHO and the UK Department for International Development (UKaid).
Thanks also to the Dominicans who are behind the scenes and who were instrumental in providing relevant information and assisting to making this a possibility.
As I have stated, Dominica is moving on progressively, in many respects.
FOH!
Thank you Gt. Britain. It is much appreciated.
Thank you PAHO and the role the Gov’t of Dominica played in this venture.
Hugh… the door is big you are only looking at one side of the health clinic, please be observant before you speak.
Great. I’m loving this development. I know my people will appreciate this improvement.
Loving this idea. Great going Paho.
Great developments.
Fascinating news. Thank you PAHO.
We welcome any help to improve the medical facility and enhance the quality of life for our residents. Thanks PAHO
Additionally the facilities should be able to provide emergency and stabilization services in the cases of Accident/Emergency/Disaster for at least 20 individuals, utilizing state of the art equipment.
Also, with all of the above mentioned in place, there must be doctors on call within close proximity of this health center.
All in all, kudos to the relevant bodies (PAHO, MOH) for recognizing this important need.
We need to go forward, not backward.
Why is the front door so small for a health Clinic? Actually health clinics should be run more efficiently than hospitals.
Maybe u ent see, but it looks like two 30″ doors.
no i didnt really see. Thanks for your respectable response, unlikeMe..
Big enough for you and your “recshun” to pass I would have thought! That is if you don’t walk sideways.
that makes no sense. Sideways? wouldnt that make it harder? dont you know how a Recshun works?