New hospital to replace QEH in Barbados

(Barbados Nation) A new multimillion-dollar general hospital will be constructed to replace the 47-year-old Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

Minister of Health Donville Inniss made the announcement yesterday at a press conference at Government Headquarters, attended by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Senator Irene Sandiford, chief executive officer of the QEH, Dexter James, and QEH chairman Francis Depeiza.

The minister estimated that it would cost more than $800 million to construct, and Government would seek to raise funds internationally.

While he was not able to say when construction would commence, Inniss explained that three locations had been identified so far and that Government was examining a “greenfield location” which was between 20 and 30 acres and easily accessible by the public.

“It would be one of the highest physical development projects to be undertaken in Barbados in the last couple of decades,” Inniss pointed out.