Officials of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) called on Senior Executives of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) on Thursday 4th February 2021. It marked the first official meeting between the PHA and PAHO’s new Country Representative, Dr. Eldonna Boisson. Dr. Boisson took up her new post effective 27 January 2021.
and Caicos Islands PAHO; Catherine Weech, Managing Director, PHA
During the brief meeting, PHA Managing Director Catherine Weech took the opportunity to thank outgoing Country Representative Dr. Esther De Gourville, who she described as someone who became a part of the PHA Family because she worked intimately with the Authority on so many critical projects in particular in the past few years. While presenting farewell gifts to Dr. De Gourville, Weech said, “You will always be a part of our PHA family, and your substantial role representing PAHO in response to Hurricane Dorian last year as well as your continued efforts to assist the Bahamas during the ongoing COVID pandemic and other ongoing health initiatives proves that indeed you are a friend to The Bahamas.”
In welcoming Dr. Eldonna Boisson she noted, “We are appreciative and encouraged by the historic relationship that we’ve had with PAHO, and we seek to ensure that we continue to enjoy a level of comradery, a level of professionalism and a level of support that you would bring to the work that we do.“
Providing a snapshot of current PHA projects, Managing Director Weech briefly outlined two major capital projects underway; the Urgent & Emergency Care project at Princess Margaret Hospital which is anticipated to conclude the current phase of construction works within a few weeks; and the four (4) tier expansion of the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama which was authorized by the Government last year.
Dr. Boisson made a very brief statement, “I am glad for the opportunity to get a partial face to face this afternoon, and I look forward to my time here and getting down to work continuing the collaboration that has already started and building some new ones as we go from strength to strength.”
