Senior nurse wants attention for management of air traffic disasters

A view of the Marigot Hospital. Photo credit: www.marigotreunion.com

Concerns are being raised about the conditions under which the Marigot Hospital is being operated.

President of the Dominica Nurses Association (DNA) Rosie Felix says while night landing is welcomed to Dominica attention should be given to the Marigot Hospital to manage any air traffic disaster should the need arises.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in January at the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony had said that night landing facilities would be launched at the Melville Hall Airport in a matter of weeks. However, Skerrit told the media in February that the delay was due to contractual issues, and said that the project would possibly be handed over in March for commencement of night landing services.

“We are happy for night landing facilities, but we also await the upgrade at the Melville Hall Hospital, both in staff and equipment, so that it may be well positioned to manage an air traffic disaster in the event of one,” she said.

According to Felix, there is always room for improvement and average cannot be enough.

She was addressing a workshop to mark International Nurses Day on Wednesday.

– DNO Correspondent

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14 Comments

  1. NO sense
    May 14, 2010

    hmmm… makes sense. if you don’t have a good health care program what if an accident happens, you going to rush everybody to PMH… just makes no sense.

  2. DRASTIC
    May 14, 2010

    It is only logical that a proper hospital be located close to an airport and I think the ECCAA should
    ensure that such facilities are adequate even before any approval is given for an aircraft to land at
    the airport. But of course our pocketicians dont give a damn about anything except lining their pockets
    at the expense of we the poor people

  3. Nathaniel Peltier
    May 14, 2010

    This should have been taken into consideration from the conception of the plan. More nurses more equipment, I agree totally Nurse.

  4. live up
    May 13, 2010

    did mr james ask that before. he represent marigot .o sorry ! was this senitor baptist plan for our village?

  5. jah bless
    May 13, 2010

    we need an international airport in wesley

  6. Piper
    May 13, 2010

    But that hospital should have the capacity to deal with multiple casualties already. What if LIAT crashes tomorrow in broad day light. Planes don’t only crash at nights.

    Dominica survives only by the graces of God. There are so many things lacking. I have said this about a million tims before; safety is about the last thing that is given consideration in Dominica.

  7. Nurse with foresight
    May 13, 2010

    Rosie expect some level of hit back, victimization for making those frank statements. The upgrading of the Marigot hospital should be going on side by side with the development of Melville Hall. It is simply idiotic to have night landing there but the hospital in the village is in a sore state. Not many of our professionals or civil servants do not have the fortitude, testicular or other, to make such factual, non-partisan statements. Rosie, You are a true patriot and committed NURSE. FEAR NO MORE MY PEOPLE. It is your right to speak about pertinent issues that affect the public. You are sounding a timely warning. Forewarned is to be forearmed. But who is listening? The hospital refurbishing should be part and parcel of the development plan, Once you are dealing with air traffic, health services must be taken seriously since accidents could happen at any time.

  8. de caribbean change
    May 13, 2010

    Besides the building of a state-of-the-art Hospital in Roseau, Goodwil soon, it is also important and incumbent on the Government of Dominica to upgrade, both in staff and equipment, the hospitals in the other towns of Marigot, Grand Bay, Portsmouth and Castle Bruce or La Plaine. We need proper primary health care throughout Dominica.

  9. da lover
    May 13, 2010

    Keep up the good work you are doing as nurses in Dominica under trying times. this is good what you said Nurse F; hope will see alot good Comments on she was said.

  10. May 13, 2010

    this is so true, it will come intime.

  11. Tell them nurse!!
    May 13, 2010

    Nurse you right on the money. That should have been pursued in conjunction with the airport upgrades. Modern emergency operation and triage facilities…and a helipad…in the event patients need to be moved to other hospitals.

    And the fact is if we ever build an international airport, the North East look like the area it’s going to be built. So we definitely need an upgraded Marigot hospital.

  12. child
    May 13, 2010

    and why didn’t anybody think of that ?that is a well valued point .thats what i mean ,we are the government every body should play their part and come up with suggestions .the prime minister cannot see everything.

  13. Jahchild
    May 13, 2010

    Point well taken and sentiments shared. In addition, the fire station needs to be upgraded as well. I do hope that before we begin night landing, that a simulation excerise is perform to evaluate our readiness for any emergencies that may occur in the north east

  14. Anonymous
    May 13, 2010

    Way to go Nurse Felix, this raises pertinent issues….please support Mrs.Felix’s efforts and concerns, the theme for May is” tourisms is everybody’s business”, well this is a fraction of tourism and the implications are horrendous.

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