Plans are advancing for the construction of the new Princess Margaret Hospital.
The new hospital is to be funded by the People’s Republic of China.
Health Minister Hon. Julius Timothy stated that the next step is to meet with the Chinese design team.
“Next week I’m expecting the Chinese design team to come and look at the space to see how we can fashion a new hospital here while this one continues operation.”
The minister also said that Coomeva Medical Institute of Bogota, Columbia has expressed interest in assisting in finalising details for the new hospital.
“Coomeva as well has promised me as soon as we have the Chinese design to send it to them. They will get their experts to look at it to ensure that it is workable.
The Minister says Government wants to ensure that the design for the new hospital is built with the highest structural integrity to meet international health standards.
“One of the first things these days with hospitals, you have to ensure it fits within safe hospital construction concepts. It must fit into that because you don’t want to build a hospital and the first hurricane or minor earthquake that hits your hospital is the first thing to go so we have to ensure that our hospital is of sound construction.”
Coomeva has also promised to assist Dominica’s health sector beginning with training of the island’s medical staff.