Charlestown Nevis
February 27, 2008
Equipment to the tune of $21,000 was donated to the Community Health Services on Nevis by the Bank of Nevis at a brief handing over ceremony held at the Conference Room of the Administration Building, Charlestown on Tuesday February 26, 2008.
In accepting the gifts which include 6 Health-O-Meter scales, 6 examination lamps and 3 Dell computers was Minister of Health of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) the Hon. Hensley Daniel recorded the Administration’s gratitude for the bank who partnered in its provision of preventative care for young children and in Port health.
“We are indeed grateful for the bank joining us to be able to, as it were do interventive and preventive care with our young children at the Health Centers, so that if there are problems with growth and development of children the equipment provided will be able to help us. In so far as it relates to Port health and the global exchanges taking place with travel, it is very important for us to be able to track diseases.
“We want to say to your Board of Directors and staff that we are indeed happy! We know that they are aware that if they get a cut that their first line of contact would be the hospital and so we want you to say to them how very grateful we are for their efforts,” he said.
Mr. Daniel utilised the forum to encourage the Nevisian community to continue to support the local financial institution, as this would help them to increase revenue and profits, and in turn increase the number of instruments and equipment that could be bought.
He said the Bank was a critical partner to the Ministry of Health and had contributed annually and called on other local support to assist the health care needs of the communities.
“I say to the people of Nevis, this is a case where you put it in through one channel and it comes back out through the other. So I am going to encourage as much as possible our continued support to the Bank because the evidence is here. I hope I can enlist you as a partner forever on an annual basis. I think we are due back here shortly all things considered and all things remain equal.
“I want to underscore the importance of our local institutions. The local support is also returning some of the profits to health throughout the communities. Every Health Center will be assisted in the scales and examinations lamps and in that context you can say that the tentacles of the Bank of Nevis has spread throughout the entire community and the best way to do that is through the Ministry of Health because everybody is concerned about weight, nutrition and disease contraction,” he said
Mr. Hanzel Manners who represented the Bank of Nevis’ Board of Directors, management and staff explained that the institution was happy to provide the equipment for the various health centers on the island and had regarded the gesture as an investment in the people of Nevis through the Ministry of Health.
“We think that this is a good long term investment in our customers and the people of Nevis. We recognise that we depend on the people of Nevis for business and they are all of our customers and we cannot thrive and progress unless our people are healthy so this investment in health is a good thing for us and it’s a good thing for all the people of Nevis.
“So I would like to congratulate the Minister and all the health professionals here on the good work they have been doing in health and we would like to give our commitment for continuation of a partnership in these very good efforts,” he said.
While she conveyed her thanks, Community Health Nurse Supervisor Mrs. Genivieve Daniel explained that the scales will be used for infant welfare clinic to measure the growth and development of babies. She said the examination lamps were essential to view post natal and family planning procedures and services that required the insertion of an intra uterine devise.
Principal Environmental Health Officer Mr. Anthony Webbe thanked the Bank for the timely donation of computers which he said would help the Unit to implement its Port Health System on Nevis which would monitor the imports and exports in a country, whether it was a disease or goods.
The equipment which will be used to enhance community health services, will be distributed to all six health centers across the island – at Combermere, Butlers, Gingerland, Brown Hill, Charlestown and Cotton Ground Community Health Centers.
The event was witnessed by Health Officials which included Permanent Secretary for Health Mrs. Joslyn Liburd and Health Administrator Mr. Kinsley Elliott.