Connect with us

Bahamas News

BAHAMAS: Health Minister gives update on the bed shortage at PMH

Published

on

#Bahamas, February 13, 2018 – Nassau – Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Duane Sands gave an update on the bed shortage in the Princess Margaret Hospital’s (PMH) Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) during a press conference at the Ministry, February 8, 2018.

“As of yesterday, I think we were down to 24 boarders; and we had I believe a total of 16 patients in the A&E waiting admission.  This problem is going to continue for some time at least until we can get definitive completion of the first ward, which used to be the Male Chest Ward, now the Corey Newbold Ward,” Dr. Sands said.

“Once that Ward is completed it will add an additional 24 beds to the available complement of beds and will dramatically reduce the need to house patients in other areas either in the Emergency Room or virtual wards throughout the hospital.”

global capital insert

He explained that the Corey Newbold Ward is expected to be completed by April.  There is another ward being renovated but there is no definitive date yet as to when that will be completed to further add beds.

Dr. Sands said there is no simple fix to the boarder situation at PMH, but they are constantly looking at ways to dramatically reduce the chronic challenge of having boarders at the hospital.

These boarders are discharged in-patients on the Clinical Wards and A&E for whom relatives and emergency contacts continue to be unreachable or unwilling to collect.   According to hospital staff, this not only drains vital hospital resources but regrettably has further impacted the hospital’s ability to provide bed space for new admissions.

A nursing shortage is making problems at the hospital more difficult.  Dr. Sands said that it is a problem that cannot be solved in a day or a week.   “These are chronic problems and if you have a shortage of 440 plus nurses across the healthcare system, you are not going to fix that problem in the short term.

“We have made it very clear that this demands a very considered approach to try and stem the tide.  S o we need to not only recruit but we also have to retain.”

JS Johnson Insert

The Health Minister explained that the loss of Baha­­­­mian nurses is leading to the hiring of International health professionals, which can sometimes pose some language and cultural challenges for patient care.

“Ideally, even though we are extremely grateful to have been able to attract an international team of professionals, we would like to have the core of our nursing team be Bahamian.”

Noting that the general finish and appearance of the Maternity Ward leaves much to be desired at PMH, Dr. Sands said there are plans to identify reasonable upgrades that can suffice until a new Maternity Ward can be constructed.

By: Llonella Gilbert (BIS)

 

 

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

C&W COMMUNICATIONS PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED AS ATHLETES “CHASE THE SUN”

Published

on

World Relays to be title sponsored by BTC, one of C&W’s local brands.

 

In just a few days, athletes from over fifty countries will converge in The Bahamas for the BTC World Athletic Relays Bahamas 24. C&W Communications, the parent company of BTC, is proud to be associated with this major event, which will see athletes from The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago competing for a place in the upcoming Olympic games in Paris.

Inge Smidts, CEO of C&W Communications, who also serves as Chair of the BTC Board of Directors will be in the stands to witness the highly anticipated relays. Smidts says, this was an event that she simply could not miss. “We are proud to support our Caribbean athletes, and we wish them well as they vie for a spot in the Olympic games.

The relays will be held one of in our markets, The Bahamas, and we are honoured to be the title sponsor of the event. The world relays represent the spirit of relentless courage and the willingness to succeed of the Caribbean people and of our business. Through partnerships like this we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to connect communities and change lives.”

In addition to its sponsorship of the event, Smidts says it was important that athletes, officials, and fans stayed connected during the games. “As a business we are focused on ensuring that our customers have access to faster, stronger, and more reliable connectivity, and we worked with our partners to make certain that athletes and guests remain connected.

We have offered e-sim cards, and we also worked with the major hotels to set up care centers to ensure that we address any connectivity concerns on the spot. Additionally, I am pleased to announce that BTC will provide free Wi-Fi at the stadium giving patrons and athletes the opportunity to share every riveting moment.”

BTC has hosted a special event just for the Caribbean athletes, at the newly renovated Queen’s Staircase in Nassau, a recently renovated historic landmark visited by thousands of tourists each day. This event gave athletes the opportunity to unwind, mingle, and to learn more about each other right before the competition.

This is the fourth time that BTC and its parent company C&W Communications have title sponsored the world relays. The BTC World Athletic Relays will be held at the Thomas A. Robinson Track & Field Stadium from May 4-5, under the theme, “Chase the Sun, from Paradise to Paris.”

 

 

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos 

Published

on

RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

 

 

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

on

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew. 

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.” 

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.” 

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations. 

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash. 

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described. 

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating. 

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING