Castries, Saint Lucia: In order to expand the reach of national eye clinic services, the government of Saint Lucia has set up the Dr. Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic (Phase 1), which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre at an impressive ceremony held here yesterday.
The polyclinic will provide various healthcare facilities to the local people, including the national eye clinic.
During his address on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the government was putting in efforts to provide the best healthcare services to its citizens.
He said that the government was committed to ensuring that its citizens get the best healthcare, for which several initiatives have already been taken.
The national eye clinic will have facilities like screening, diagnostics, and treatment for various eye problems.
Prior to this, many individuals suffering from eye problems had to travel long distances to get treatment.
Saint Lucia has some private eye clinics, but these were lacking in providing complete eye care to the patients. The national eye clinic aims to fill this gap. It will cater to the needs of various sections of society and provide them with the best eye care services.
Besides the national eye clinic, the polyclinic will also provide services in maternal and child health, and free medical consultation for senior citizens aged 80 and above.
Additionally, there will be a laboratory to carry out several medical tests and also an ultrasound center.
The Prime Minister said that the government has given a waiver on the VAT on medical screening equipment for 2 years. This will help the nation build resources that will enable residents to access good healthcare.
He said that the VAT waiver has also been extended to the construction of healthcare facilities across the country.
The polyclinic will also disseminate information to the citizens to promote preventive healthcare.
The Prime Minister said that the citizens must adopt healthier lifestyles and incorporate a good diet and daily exercise to stay healthy.
He said that this can help people stay fit and bring down the cost of medical expenses.
The Prime Minister also said that the government was also undertaking the construction of the Saint Jude Hospital Reconstruction Project (SJHRP). He said that a sum of $11 million has been raised through Citizenship by Investment (CIP) for this project.
This sum will be used to clear the debts owed by the hospital while ensuring that people get the best medical services here.
In addition to these initiatives, the government has also opened a men’s health clinic to address various issues related to the health of adult men. This clinic provides facilities such as Prostate Cancer Screening (PSA Level Checks).
The Prime Minister said Dr. Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic will continue to get full support from the government. This will ensure that the citizens continue to benefit from the state-of-the-art facility that has been created at this polyclinic.
