fp Turks and Caicos

The country’s two new hospitals — Cheshire Hall Medical Centre on Providenciales and Cockburn Town Medical Centre on Grand Turk — will open for business April 10.

“The new hospitals bring with them new capabilities, including updated emergency care facilities, and new diagnostic imaging equipment and facilities for surgical and obstetric procedures, all of which will be provided by Interhealth Canada Ltd., one of the world’s leading providers of healthcare,” the Ministry of Health and Human Services said.

A staged changeover from the Myrtle Rigby Health Complex (MRHC) on Provo and the Grand Turk Hospital began April 6, and both facilities will be progressively closed.
The ministry announced the following changes:

• With the exception of emergency cases, no patients will be seen between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and 8 a.m., Monday to Friday, or on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
• Elective surgeries have already been suspended, and patients requiring elective surgery will be scheduled for such at the new health facilities.
• Specialty clinics will be reduced in number per specialty and will conducted on an appointment-only basis. For times and schedules, please contact the front desk at MRHC at 941-3000 or the Medical Records Department at the Grand Turk Hospital at 946-2040 during normal working hours.
• Laboratory services will be limited to Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Laboratories will be closed on Sundays, Saturdays and public holidays, except for patients requiring emergency and inpatient services.
• Pharmacy services will be limited to the hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays. The pharmacies will be closed on Sundays

On Grand Turk, the pharmacy at the clinic is closed. Persons needing prescriptions should visit the Grand Turk Hospital Pharmacy.
Effective April 10:

• All specialty clinics (operated by Interhealth Canada) including antenatal clinics (operated by Interhealth Canada and Ministry of Health) will be relocated to the new hospitals on Grand Turk and Providenciales.
• All General Practice Clinics will be relocated to the new hospitals and will be operated by Interhealth Canada.

Effective April 17:

• The Ministry of Health’s Primary Care Clinics (Well baby, Immunization, Communicable Disease, HIV Care and Treatment, Dental and wellness clinics) will be relocated to the new hospitals on Grand Turk and Providenciales. The relocation is expected to be completed by May 1.