Mental Health Covid Isolation facility lauded for hard work

NURSES at the Mental Health Covid Isolation facility have received commendation for the hard work they put in to ensure the recovery of 66 covid positive patients of the 104 who were in isolation, a release from the facility stated.

DR. ELIZABETH MEDFORD (left), hands over gift baskets to nursing supervisor Karen Gilgeours

Recognizing their work, Dr. Elizabeth Medford who heads the institution pointed out that working with Mental Health patients is very difficult and nurses have to go the extra mile to care for those patients with Covid.

She praised the 32 staff members for their dedication and commitment in caring for all patients at the Mental Health Centre, noting the resilience and hard work of the nurses as she recognized the efficiency with which they carry out their duties and the effective care given to their patients.

The nurses were presented with gift baskets of cross buns as an Easter token on April 1,2021.

Additionally, two residents of Layou acting on behalf of their daughter also handed over a quantity of supplies to the Mental Health Centre.

Charles and Pauline Hendrickson, working on behalf of their British-born Canadian daughter Carol Estwick, said she was able to raise the money privately through family and friends to purchase the supplies which were purchased locally.

Some of the items donated to the Mental Health facility

Estwick is also a member of the Toronto-based non-profit organization Cari-On and the recently established SVG DRIP.

The donation includes PPE for staff, cleaning supplies, personal care items for patients and a blood pressure machine.

Reading from a prepared speech sent by her daughter, Hendrickson said the initiative was inspired after she learnt of the COVID outbreak at the Centre.

In early March, health authorities reported that 107 people at the MHC had tested positive for the Covid19 virus, 94 of them being patients and nine members of staff.

As part of their control measures, patients were placed in isolation at the Grace and Truth campsiite at Queens Drive.

Estwick expressed hope that as the threat of a volcanic eruption becomes

more evident, other members of the diaspora will be moved to also take action and join Disaster preparedness groups such as Cari-On and the newly formed SVG Drip which aims to bring together Vincentians across the globe in support of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.