Dr. Cardell Rawlins (L) and Elvin Bailey
Charlestown, Nevis
July 07, 2008
The Pharmacy Department at the Alexandra Hospital was on July 07, 2008, the recipient of a Dell computer valued at EC $3500 (US $1300) courtesy of the Nevis Branch of the St. Kitts ““ Nevis Social Security Board.
Assistant Director of Public Relations, Research and Statistics Mr. Elvin Bailey, made the official handing over on behalf of the Social Security Board.
“Once again we are delighted to partner with the Ministry of Health in bringing effective and affordable healthcare to the people of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and to the people of Nevis, in particular, citizens and residents alike,” he said.
Chief of Staff at the Alexandra Hospital Dr. Cardell Rawlins, accepted the computer on behalf of the hospital and recorded the Administration’s gratitude for the donation.
He also spoke of the Nevis Island Administration’s (NIA) efforts to make healthcare affordable for Nevisians.
“We are all acutely aware of the very high expense of medical care including the electronic equipment. It is in that light, that I believe, that all of us should join Minister Hensley Daniel as he strives towards a National Health Insurance Plan for Nevis because without money, we cannot improve healthcare,” Dr. Rawlins said.
Pharmacist at the Hospital, Mr. Loston Nisbett, expressed the importance of a computer to the hospital’s Pharmacy Department.
“The Pharmacy program that we use, keeps records of all of our patients who access our services. We have a listing of our doctors, we have a drug list; an inventory and we are able, in the end, to present the patient with medications that are properly labeled, easy to read and have all the relevant information, expiration dates etc.,” Mr. Nisbett said.
He also compared the computerised system to the manual system previously used.
“I myself have found it a lot easier in keeping our records in the computer system and the patients have grown accustomed now to a particular standard of service and I don’t think they want to go back to the books. There is progress and there is no turning back,” he said.
Other officials at the ceremony included Assistant Director of the Social Security Board Branch Office Mr. Vernel Powell, Social Security’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr. Walter Morton and Hospital Administrator Mrs. Veta Morton.
The ceremony was a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health and the St. Kitts-Nevis Social Security Board.