Somerset Health Clinic Opens After Renovations
The opening of the refurbished Somerset Clinic on Mangrove Bay Road in Sandys was held yesterday [Sept 19], with the Clinic having been closed to allow for renovations to take place.
Health Minister Zane DeSilva said that the renovations included masonry work on the clinic’s walls, the removal of old furniture, and the installation of a new air-conditioning system.
The Oral Health Clinic for seniors and school aged children operates on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30am until 3:30pm, and on Tuesdays Maternal Health Services are provided from 9am to 11am.
On Wednesdays the clinic offers one-on-one Nutritional Counseling, and on the first and third Wednesday afternoon of every month from 2pm to 4pm the Seniors Wellness Clinic will take place, and on Fridays from 2pm to 4pm, there will be a Child Health Clinic.
All of the above services are provided at no cost to the community, however, there is a small fee for medications if warranted.
Minister DeSilva’s full statement follows below:
Good afternoon,
I am pleased to be here today on behalf of the Ministry of Health and, in particular, the Department of Health Community Health Nurses to welcome you to the opening of our refurbished Somerset Clinic.
We do appreciate you taking time out from your busy schedules to be here today.
As many of you may know, our Somerset clinic, located at 55 Mangrove Bay Road, Sandys, has been closed to allow for much-needed renovations to take place.
Renovations included masonry work on the clinic’s walls, the removal of old furniture, and the installation of a new air-conditioning system.
This clinic’s functions are as follows:
The Oral Health Clinic for seniors and school aged children operates on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30am until 3:30pm.
On Tuesdays Maternal Health Services are provided from 9am to 11am.
On Wednesdays the clinic offers, by appointment only, one-on-one Nutritional Counseling with Department of Health Nutritionist Mrs. Mellonie Furbert.
Then on the first and third Wednesday Afternoon of every month from 2pm to 4pm the Seniors Wellness Clinic will take place. Previously, this was only held once a month but I am pleased to announce that we are now extending this to twice a month in order to accommodate a greater volume of people.
This clinic is for persons who are aged 65 years and older. However, it is also open to anyone in the community who would like to have their blood pressure or blood sugar monitored. In some cases, if a client’s blood pressure or blood sugar is too high, the clinic nurse will refer this client to their doctor or the emergency room at KEMH.
High blood pressure is known as a ‘silent killer’ as it can be very quiet in its presentation and, in some cases, lead to stroke and even death. Identifying an individual’s risk for stroke through a simple blood pressure check like those offered at this clinic can save your life.
Finally, on Fridays from 2pm to 4pm, there will be a Child Health Clinic, at which children from birth to 18 years of age are seen for immunization, growth and developmental assessment, or minor health problems. A doctor, health visitor, school nurse and community health nurse are present to assist with this clinic.
I should point out that all of the above mentioned services are provided at no cost to the community. However, there is a small fee for medications if warranted.
The Ministry of Health expects that these Somerset Clinic services will help identify hypertension and diabetes earlier in our population, and assist in monitoring those already diagnosed. The opportunity for regular conversations with health care professionals on aspects of wellness and prevention will go a long way in improving the general health of our adults and children.
I should also mention that other Seniors Wellness Clinics are held at Victoria Street Health Centre every Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm and at the St. Georges Health Centre, located at 1 Old Military Road, St. Georges. The wellness clinic in St. Georges operates on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2pm to 4pm.
In closing, I would like to thank the Department of Health’s Community Health Nurses, who are the lifeblood of this clinic, for all that they do to improve the health of our island.
Thank You.
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I find it frustrating that Somerset gets Sandy’s 360 Swimming Pool before National Stadium and now the Clinic has been renovated – this is wonderful (the Clinic). The National Stadium should have been the first to have their pool, with how many years later the scurry is on to have it built and St. George’s Clinic has been in such a nasty state for years.
Some people would say that the Somerset Community are strong, that is why they get the first of things and St. George’s couldn’t stick together even with krazy glue – which is probably correct.
I wonder how many times if at all it was requested for the St. George’s Clinic to be renovated by either Kim Swan or Dame Jennifer and requests denied.