Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has taken receipt of the keys from US Ambassador to Barbados and the OECS, Mary Kramer for eleven community Medical Clinics which were financed by the United States government and reconstructed under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Hurricane Ivan recovery programme.

The clinics were repaired after they were extensively damaged during hurricane Ivan last September. A ceremony to hand over the keys for the different Medical Stations was held in front the Melville Street Health Center on Wednesday.

The facility which is presently being equipped with medical and other supplies will be open to serve the public within one month. Parliamentary Representative for the Town of St. George, Peter David who spoke at the ceremony, praised the American people for what he described as the enormous sacrifices they made to assist Grenada in the aftermath of Ivan.

He pointed out that although the US state of Florida was also affected by hurricanes they were able to channel monies from their tax payers to assist this country in its reconstruction efforts. Health Minister, Senator Ann David-Antoine who addressed the gathering promised that the Melville Street facility will be equipped to meet the needs of the people who reside in St. George's as well as those coming into the city to do business.

She disclosed that a number of services such as Doctors, Anti and Post Natal Clinics, Family Planning Services, Dressing, Testing for Chronic Diseases, Psychological Support, Dental Clinic as well as the distribution of Medicines will be made available at Melville Street.

Minister David-Antoine disclosed that the plan is to have the facility remain open until 8:00 p.m. nightly to reduce the stress on the emergency staff at the St. George's General Hospital as well as persons who may have to go there for minor medical assistance.

Ambassador Kramer in presenting the keys to the Grenadian leader said that the united Sdtates has been assisting Grenada in several areas. She said that their assistance is very broad since they are helping in areas of Tourism, Agriculture, Fishing as well as Small Business Development with the aim of jump starting the local economy.

She pointed out that one of the blessings after the hurricane was that there was not an outbreak of a major disease and this is as a result of the services provided by health professionals post-Ivan. The US envoy also said that her government is happy to assist to restore services not only to the facility at Melville Street but the other ten around the island.

Prime Minister Mitchell who accepted the keys for the facility thanked Washington for the assistance given in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. He noted that the assistance had gone a long way in restoring comfort to the Grenadian people in their time of distress last year.

The Grenadian leader disclosed that the assistance from the US government which is worth $42 million goes far beyond the restoration of Health Centers. He pointed out that USAID is also providing assistance in the restoration of tourist sites, training of young people and resuscitation of the agriculture sector as well as small businesses.

Under the USAID Community Revitalisation Programme, 11 medical clinics selected by the Ministry of Health in the parishes of St. George and St. David were repaired at a cost of $US 502.354.

Clinics repaired under the programme were New Hampshire, Morne Jaloux, Snug Corner, Good Hope, Mt. Moritz, Calliste, St. George's Medical Center, La. Borie Medical Center, as well as Vincennes, Perdmontemps and Westerhall in St. David's.