Andrews Hospital to act as extension of KPH
Published:Friday | April 3, 2020 | 12:25 AM
Andrews Memorial Hospital, on Hope Road in Kingston, is to be used as an extension of the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) as part of the Government’s effort to shore up the public health system to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The privately owned hospital sent out an advisory recently, stating that it would not be handling any COVID-related cases because it did not have the resources to do so.
Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton, during a digital press conference from the ministry’s head office on Wednesday, disclosed that the ministry had met with the owners of the hospital and an agreement was reached for it to act as an extension of KPH, as the public hospital would be needed to deal with COVID-19 cases.
“We need all hands on deck. We need to engage them all. I’m happy to announce that coming out of those discussions, Andrews Memorial Hospital will be used, based on an agreement, as an extension of the Kingston Public Hospital,” Dr Tufton said.
“So as needed, patients who are admitted at KPH, based on the appropriate arrangements, would be housed at Andrews Hospital,” he added.
Meanwhile, permanent secretary in the ministry, Dunstan Bryan, further explained that the agreement will enable KPH to treat more COVID-19 cases.
“Although we’re having this crisis, we still have patients who are in need of other services from the hospital, and as you know, as a policy decision, each hospital was required to clear a ward to provide support for COVID-19,” Bryan noted.
“The KPH is one of those hospitals that were identified and has responded by clearing two wards, which has reduced their capacity to treat with other patients who are probably medical patients or surgical patients. So, the plan that was agreed with Andrews is that those medical and surgical patients would be admitted to Andrews, as an extension of their admission to KPH,” he added.
In the meantime, Tufton expressed thanks to the owner of the Andrews Memorial Hospital, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for its cooperation.