Dominica names new health centres after its outstanding female nurses
To honour the individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the island’s healthcare sector, the Commonwealth of Dominica has begun dedicating the new health and wellness centres after its brave and selfless nurses.
Recently, four of these have been named after female healthcare workers. The homage comes as the world celebrates the annual Women’s Day on Monday, March 8.
On Friday, the Dominican government named the newly-commissioned healthcare facility in Vielle Case after 2020 Sisserou Award of Honor recipient Stella LeBlanc.
The Sisserou Award of Honour is the second-highest national award of the Commonwealth of Dominica that was created in 1967.
The honor has been given to LeBlanc for being an instrumental force in the advancement of the Primary Healthcare Programme in Portsmouth district, where she served as a nurse midwife for 23 years.
In the same week, seasoned nurse Maria Moise was also honored during the opening ceremony of the Bellevue Chopin Health and Wellness Center.
Also known as “Teacher Maria,” Moise taught at two primary schools in Dominica before joining the healthcare workforce in 1979 when typhoon David ravaged the island. She pursued training after becoming a community health aid and has been saving lives since and serving in several communities, including Bellevue Chopin.
In 2012, Moise was recognized as Dominica’s Nurse of the Year.
“This new health and wellness centre is part of the government’s broad vision and strategy in healthcare,” said Dominica PM Roosevelt Skerrit in his speech during the commissioning ceremony of the new health centre in Bellevue Chopin.
“This government, can also be known, should also be known, and is also known as a government that has invested the most in healthcare in all history as a country.”
The first health centre that was commissioned to female nurses last February 26 was the building in Mahaut. It was named Esprit-Murphy Health and Wellness Center, in memory of nurses Agatha Espirit David and Anastasia Mary Murphy. Both women have also dedicated their lives for not less than 40 years in service.
The second one was inaugurated last March 1 and was named after nurse Olivia Douglas—the wife of the late Michael Douglas and the mother of Hon. Ian Douglas—was a pioneer of the Primary Health Care revolution of the 1980s.
Nurse Douglas was instrumental in the delivery of babies at the then Maternity Ward of the Portsmouth Hospital before being transferred to the Princess Margaret Hospital in 1985. She has bestowed the Meritorious Service Award in 2006, having rendered over forty years of faithful and dedicated service in the field of nursing to Dominica.
“The health centres are assembled with reinforced concrete structure, equipped to tackle climate change and the jarring effects of hurricanes,” said Ahmad Al-Khatib, the new project manager of Montreal Management Consultants Est. (MMCE), a UAE-based consultancy firm that has been working closely with the government for its housing development projects (Housing Dominica) since 2016.
“We also included impact-resistant windows, and considering the possibility of adding shutters that will further secure both the facilities and the citizens in the event of harsh weather,” Al-Khatib added during his remarks at the commissioning of Bellevue Chopin Health Center.
Each health centre has 2 beds for short-term stay for patients, consultation rooms, 2 multi-purpose clinics, a pharmacy and accommodation for medical staff.
The healthcare centres were funded by the island’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.