Headlines and deadlines

BVI: Health Services Authority – New CEO

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) Health Services Authority appointed its new Chief Executive Officer last October.

Darlene A Carty Baptiste is contracted to hold the office for two years.

Mrs Baptiste is the former Chief Executive of the Health Authority of Anguilla, while in 2003 she was appointed Health Commissioner for the US Virgin Islands – becoming the first non-physician to do so.

BVI: Health Services Authority – New CEO

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) Health Services Authority appointed its new Chief Executive Officer last October.

Darlene A Carty Baptiste is contracted to hold the office for two years.

St Lucia: National hospital gets opening date

The formal opening of the new national hospital for St Lucia, the New National Hospital Complex (NNH), has been pencilled in for June 2013, according to Alvina Reynolds, the Minister for Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations.

At a press conference held last September, Minister Reynolds reaffirmed the government’s commitment to finishing the construction phase by the end of 2012.

She added: “We are talking about not just a new national hospital, but of a hospital complex through the amalgamation of the New National Hospital, the National Mental Wellness Centre and the Turning Point Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

"Additionally, expansion of services above what is currently obtained at Victoria Hospital will characterise the NNH, with the inclusion of improved diagnostic services such as CT scans and MRI, as well as day surgeries.”

The NNH will replace Victoria Hospital as St Lucia’s main medical institution. The completed two-story building will consist of 33 departments that include:

A 21-bed special care baby unit
An obstetric suite inclusive of 31 ante and postnatal beds
Five delivery beds and associated support facilities
A state-of-the-art accident and emergency department
Three acute general wards equipped with 65 beds and eight dialysis chairs
Four operating theatres – two general, one day surgery and one obstetric
Radiology, intensive care and outpatients.

The structure of the new hospital will be built to withstand the forces of hurricanes and earthquakes, and will be built to accommodate future expansion.

www.caribbean360.com

The structure of the new hospital will be built to withstand the forces of hurricanes and earthquakes, and will be built to accommodate future expansion

Cayman Islands: Data Protection Bill reviewed

A draft Bill that would force professional data controllers to notify a government-maintained register has been put out for review and is expected to come before the Legislative Assembly.

Data protection is aimed principally at giving effect to the rights to privacy in relation to data while ensuring that certain exceptions are allowed

The Data Protection Bill 2011 is similar to European data protection laws, and would require any public or private sector worker or agency, whose job function is to control personal data, to come under government scrutiny in order to ensure the data is appropriately handled. It would also apply to organisations outside the Cayman Islands, whose data processing functions lie within the islands' jurisdiction.

A memo attached to the Bill said: “Data protection is aimed principally at giving effect to the rights to privacy in relation to data while ensuring that certain exceptions are allowed.” The Bill’s definition of personal data will replace that outlined in the existing Freedom of Information Law.

Information and Communications Technology Authority Chairman David Archbold oversaw a working group that helped shape the Data Protection Bill over the past two years. He said: “Data protection affects everyone and the working group seeks to present a comprehensive bill to Cabinet that suits the needs of the Cayman Islands while meeting international standards.”

www.compasscayman.com

St Kitts and Nevis: Thumbs up for disaster safety plans

St Kitts and Nevis has been praised for its work in enhancing and improving the ability of its medical facilities to withstand disasters.

A visiting risk reduction specialist from the Pan American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) programme on health institutional safety during disasters said that the preparations in St Kitts and Nevis were well underway.

Andrew Skerritt, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said: “The government and by extension the Ministry of Health has expended large sums of money to ensure the safety of its hospitals, the safety of its health centres and [we will] further see how we can improve or build on the safety initiatives that are already in place.”

www.caribbeannewsnow.com

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