DORSETTE?S, Mangrove Cay --- The re-launching of primary healthcare services at the Mangrove Cay Community Clinic will allow for the ?adequate and timely delivery of high-quality healthcare? to the residents of Mangrove Cay, Minister of Health Dr. the Hon. Hubert A, Minnis said.

The re-launching took place on Friday, September 18 and is part of the ongoing reconstruction/renovations of primary healthcare facilities throughout the Family Islands. Re-launching ceremonies have already taken place in Kemp?s Bay, South Andros; Nicholls Town, North Andros and Grand Cay, North Abaco.

More are scheduled for other parts of The Bahamas. Constructed 24 years ago via funding from the National Insurance Board, the Community Clinic was renovated at a cost of $500,000.

Dr. Minnis said the re-launching of services will allow healthcare professionals on Mangrove Cay to address those aspects of primary healthcare that focus on health promotion, disease prevention and self-empowerment, particularly in the fight against chronic, non-communicable diseases (CNCDS) and other public health threats.

?The residents of Mangrove Cay, like those elsewhere in The Bahamas, are primarily affected by the increasing rates of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma and other types of chronic, non-communicable diseases, as well as those related to alcohol consumption,? Dr. Minnis said.

?Now that the clinic building has been renovated, operations will improve due to the fact that the District Medical Officer will be able to remain overnight in the facility and the fact that the clinic will be connected to the Central Patient Record Information System which will allow physicians in New Providence to review the medical records of patients in Mangrove Cay.?

Dr. Minnis said the upgrades to primary healthcare facilities throughout The Bahamas is part of the Ministry of Health?s overall objective of ensuring that healthcare facilities throughout the country are provided with the necessary emergency medical equipment, and that training opportunities are provided to ensure that the current knowledge and skills of persons providing healthcare services, are maintained.

He said as a result, the buildings formerly used to house the clinic and nurses? residence in Mangrove Cay, in addition to the former nurses? residence in Kemp?s Bay, will be renovated and used to facilitate the training of medical and nursing students and physicians from the University of the West Indies? Bahamas campus who are pursing post-graduate studies in Family Medicine.

The Health Minister said officials from the Public Hospitals Authority are also scheduled to provide First Responders training for residents of Mangrove Cay and Kemp?s Bay, which should also auger well for the provision of timely services to the community.

?All that remains is for the residents of Mangrove Cay to work with their healthcare providers to reduce the number of persons developing chronic, non-communicable diseases as well as injuries resulting from negative and unhealthy lifestyle choices and violence,? Dr. Minnis added.

by Bis