ONE OF the largest expansion projects in the University Hospital of the West Indies' (UHWI) history is nearing completion, thanks to the efforts of over 100 corporate, public and individual donors.
The project is the largest single capital investment at the UHWI in the last 40 years is a $225 million expansion programme to construct two new operating theatres and an eight-bed intensive care unit.
The Tony Thwaites Wing is providing $35 million, and has spearheaded a fund-raising programme which has attracted $115 million. The university hospital will equip the new complex at a cost of $75 million.
Among the over 100 donors are some of the major corporate firms in Jamaica, families and individuals.
"The building is almost complete and we are about ready to start the installation of equipment and fixtures. When we announced the project, the initial cost was $135m but that has since increased to $225 million. Without the support of our worthy donors, we could never have reached this stage and the entire Jamaica thanks them for their support," says R. Danny Williams, chairman of the Fund-raising Committee for the expansion project.
The new cardiothoracic neurosurgical operating theatres and intensive care unit will help the hospital to cope with the current and future demands for elective and emergency surgical cases.
Currently, elective surgical cases including cardiothoracic and neurosurgery cases are severely curtailed at the hospital due to insufficient operating theatre time and intensive care unit beds.
PATIENTS
The UHWI admits approximately 18,000 patients each year and treats 160,000 outpatients in the clinics. Of the patients admitted, 11,300 (63 per cent) are provided with surgical treatment in the main, minor and speciality operating theatres. The main operating theatre suite, which was constructed in 1961, consists of five operating rooms where over 3,500 major surgical procedures are performed annually.
Over the past 15 years, there has been significant growth in the demand for both emergency and elective surgical procedures. The latter being driven by the expansion of both the postgraduate sub-specialities in surgery, with the consequential increase and availability of qualified surgeons.
The operating theatre facilities are now inadequate to cope with the increasing demand for both elective and emergency procedures. The high rate of trauma in the society due to violence and motor vehicle accidents has further exacerbated the situation as in most instances; emergency surgery has to be accommodated at the expense of elective surgical procedures. A primary concern is that the declining numbers of elective cases performed will place the accreditation status of the UHWI as a teaching hospital at risk.
The increase in operating theatre capacity will result in an increased demand for intensive care unit beds. Therefore, in addition to the two new operating rooms an eight-bed intensive care unit (ICU) suitably furnished with state-of-the-art equipment will reduce the pressure on the current eight-bed ICU.
The new facilities will enable many more Jamaicans to access the services provided at the UHWI, especially in the areas of cardiothoracic and neurosurgery, two areas that are in great demand by our population.
Chairman of the Tony Thwaites Wing, Mark Thwaites, says the project will benefit both public and private patients, as all clinical services offered at the wing are purchased at the UHWI.
