The Social Security Board has contributed an additional $1.5 million to purchase equipment for the New Peebles Hospital as the government inches closer to raking in the estimated $10 million required to fit the brand new facility in Road Town, Tortola.
During a press briefing held at the new hospital on Thursday, Health Minister Ronnie Skelton disclosed that $7M of the $10 million has been acquired. He did not say how much of that is from the related pledge programme.
âThe budgeted figure for fitting out the New Peebles Hospital with everything is about $10 million. We have at our disposal, including the Social Security cheque at this point in time, about $7 million dollars available,â Skelton said.
âWe never expect the pledge programme to bring in all the money; I donât want to give a percentage⊠But, we were expecting a 50/50 partnership â thatâs in my mind. We expect to have 50% of it by the pledge programme. There are some anonymous donors who donât want to be mentioned who are also pledging, and the amount is not readily available at this point in time.â
While some contributors donât want to be named, the Social Security Board created a wow factor at the press today when its Chairman, Paul Webster, announced the $1.5 million donation.
Webster said the Board previously assisted the hospital with things such the creation of the Intensive Care Unit as well as the purchase of a CT scanner and an ambulance.
He also vowed to stick to an earlier promise to train persons for the hospitalâs Intensive Care Unit, adding that those in authority should ensure suitably qualified persons are available to operate the equipment that will be purchased with the latest $1.5M donation.
Webster further stated that both the Ministry of health and the Social Security Board will eventually benefit from an improved healthcare system in the territory.
âI did say that the relationship between the Board and the Ministry {of Health} is a mutually benefitting one for us. Apart from knowing that we are helping the community is that, the healthier the people are, is the less we spend⊠A health population; we pay less. We have more to help more. Therefore, we have a vested interest in having a first class healthcare system. This pledge today is but on further step in achieving this lofty goal.â
Endorsing those sentiments expressed by Webster, Director of the Social Security Board Antoinette Skelton indicated that the sign of
kindness should not be mistaken for a waste of contributorsâ money.
âWe are not giving away your money. We donât see it as a give-away. We see it as an investment in health system where all the people who are contributing to the Social Security can benefit,â she said.
Other publicly identified donors to the New Peebles Hospital include the National Bank of the Virgin Islands, LIME, Rotary Club of Tortola, Lionâs Club and the New Testament Church of God International Worship Centre.
While lauding those organizations, Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority Darlene Carty-Baptiste and Chairman Bishop John Cline appealed for more people to come forward and donate.
Source of Article: News Article by BVI News Online – Thursday, February 13th, 2014 at 9:07 AM Read it here