Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre has announced a major financial investment in the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital. The move aims to address long-standing financial issues in the island’s health sector and stabilize the hospital’s economic condition.
“We are going to invest 10 million dollars in the first instance, and we are very happy to know that it will come from the CIP Program into the OKEU Hospital to pay debts that were there before July 2021. We are paying these debts,” Pierre said in his Monday address.
Pierre also revealed that the Ministry of Finance will contribute an additional $5 million, raising the total investment to $15 million. However, he warned that improvement in hospital services may not be immediate. “That doesn’t mean if you go to the hospital tomorrow, things will be better,” he cautioned.
The Prime Minister acknowledged broader financial challenges in the health sector, noting that debts to both local and regional suppliers have persisted since before the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are suppliers that have been owed since pre-COVID,” Pierre admitted.
One significant debt is a $2 million obligation to the French Government for overseas medical care, which dates back to 2001. Pierre expressed gratitude for their patience and pledged to resolve the issue. “I want to thank them for being so patient,” he said. “I am going to try to put the health sector on a proper financial footing.”
