Five months after a handover ceremony ended a 16-year construction saga, St Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort still awaits commissioning, now promised within three to four months.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and other health officials made it clear during the handover that it was not the official opening. They explained that the hospital would open in stages.

This week, Minister of Health Moses Jn Baptiste said the Government is committed to fully opening the hospital at the Augier site within three to four months.

“This year, in the estimates of revenue and expenditure, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance allocated even more funds, more resources to ensure that the commissioning process takes place, to ensure that the commissioning process is complete and to ensure that the people of the south and the people of Saint Lucia get the St. Jude Hospital at the Augier site,” the minister said.

Jn Baptiste said he was pleased that some departments have already moved into the new hospital.

“The Physiotherapy Department has moved, the clients are visiting and our professionals are providing the service there. We know that administrative services have also moved and the kitchen … and in the next few days, the kitchen will be in use. The laundry services have also moved,” he stated.

Jn Baptiste said new equipment is still arriving and is being installed, checked and tested.

He added that people in the south are already seeing better service in the physiotherapy department. He hopes the new high-tech equipment will raise healthcare standards, and said staff have been trained to use it.

Moses Jn Baptiste promised more services for people in the south, including more dialysis machines and upgrades to the Radiology Department and other clinical services.

“So I’m very excited about the new St Jude Hospital and the possibilities for new services, a higher level of service delivery and really a hospital which will make us proud,” he said.

The new St Jude is designed as a modern, 110-bed facility with improved inpatient, surgical and diagnostic services.