Bustamante Hospital gets well-needed makeover
MEMBERS OF staff at the National Housing Trust (NHT) expect that their renovation project undertaken at the Bustamante Hospital for Children yesterday will aid in the facility becoming a certified breastfeeding institution, in addition to enhancing the overall standard of the health institution.
Lanie Oakley Williams, senior general manager of customer relations management at the NHT, said that about 80 staff members came out to renovate the overnight facility for parents.
“There are so many parents who come from outside of Kingston and have nowhere to stay. We are in the business of shelter, and so we found that this was a fitting project,” Williams said.
“We are spending approximately $250,000. We may have to spend a little more, depending on the needs of the hospital,” she disclosed. “The hospital has indicated that the facility was first built for women, and what we have found is that a lot of fathers have got involved and there’s only one bathroom facility. So another bathroom facility for males and the expansion of the facility will be critical,” she said.
She added, “They want to use it as a breastfeeding facility, and so women who want to express milk will be able to use the facility in the common area. This will help with the hospital being certified as having a safe and friendly breastfeeding facility.”
Kingston Mayor Delroy Williams announced that the renovation of the isolation ward at the hospital, which got under way yesterday, would continue beyond Labour Day.
“The project has come a far way since its commencement. We have budgeted more than $4 million for phase one of the renovation. We will be constructing three isolation rooms on the ward, ranging from mild to moderate and severe isolation,” he said.
“We have torn out most of the wooden structures as there was termite infestation. We replaced it with aluminium and did work on the plumbing and will be installing airconditioning units, along with new windows and doors,” Williams explained.