12 July 2007 Rating 37% No Comment  

The recently completed modernisation and upgrading works carried out at the Male and Female General Wards together with the staff dining room at the Gozo General Hospital has been inaugurated by the Hon Giovanna Debono, Minister for Gozo. Works carried out at the Wards include the replacement of the vinyl floor lining, the replacement of apertures which have now been installed with reflective glass for better insulation and energy saving, the addition of electrical and low voltage services together with the installation of bed-head trunking which now provide for the supply of medical gasses and other services directly to each bed. The new headboards have also been serviced with an advanced communication system which will eventually provide each bed with separate access to telephone, television and internet services. These works follow other general decorative works that were carried out in recent years. The Male and Female General Ward project involved the investment of around Lm100,000. The Dining Room project follows the complete upgrading of the hospital catering system that included the introduction of the pre-plating system, resulting in the delivery of adequately temperatured hot and cold plates directly on a tray to the patient in the different Wards. Works here involved the removal of the previous false ceiling and roofing which was replaced by new roof cladding and a new false ceiling as well as tiling, plastering and painting works, the upgrading of sanitary facilities and an improved general look. Speaking during the inauguration, Minister Debono said that the upgrading of more wards and hospital areas are confirmation of Government's commitment towards the improvement of the health sector in Gozo for the benefit of patients in Gozo, adding that since 2000 Government has invested around Lm2m towards capital improvement for the Gozo General Hospital. Minister Debono said that priority has been given to patient-areas, citing upgrading and modernisation works carried out in the Male Elderly Ward, Residenza Sant'Anna, the Maternity Ward, the Paediatrics' Ward, the Emergency Department and the Out Patients Department, while new sections were set up to improve the quality of service offered by the Hospital. Minister Debono referred to the new Gynaecology Unit, the Renal Unit, the Isolation Unit and the several new medical services that were introduced in recent years at the Gozo General Hospital. Staff areas were also modernised including the Medical Records Department, the hospital Laboratory, an Operating Theatre, the Central Sterile Supplies Department and the Doctors' Quarters. Minister Debono referred to the Ministry's upcoming projects that will substantially improve the already high quality of health service offered in Gozo. The projects, tenders for which have already started being issued, include the complete upgrading of the second Operating Theatre and the setting up of a Radiology Unit that will include new medical services currently unavailable in Gozo. Minister Debono said that the completion of the Male and Female General Wards and the Dining Room projects will surely continue to contribute to the already improved environment that both patients and staff enjoy at the Gozo General Hospital.