Addressing the gathering, Dr Maite Alfonso Romero, Medical Director of the facility, was full gratefulness to all the awardees for distinguishing themselves and encouraged other staff to learn from their good examples. Notable among the awardees was Dr Mercy Dawson an eye specialist who has served the facility for over 10years.

 

Rev. Fr Abban in his address as the Administrator of the Hospital, showed his appreciation to the HMT and the staff for their cooperation and hard-work. He was also full of appreciation of all stakeholders for their support to the health facility. The Administrator indicated to the gathering that St Dominic Hospital is the only referrer facility in the Denkyembuo District and that it has been nominated as a Secondary Health facility.  Enumerating the challenges that face the facility he said the delay in disbursement of the National Health Scheme affects the hospital. Other challenges include high cost of maintenance, incubator for the paediatric unit, land disputes and registration, lack of ambulance, rising cost of medical equipment, use of IGF for salaries of some workers, insufficient health personnel because of Government policy among others.

 

Making projections into the future the Administrator said the HMT hopes to create special clinic for hypertension, expand Radiologic department, renovate some structures and purchase an ambulance. He therefore appealed to government, the district, organizations and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the Hospital. When it was his turn to deliver a speech, the District Chief Executive, Hon. Seth Birikorang, promised to ensure that within six months an incubator will be purchased for the children clinic. He added that government will continually do his best to ameliorate the situation of the disbursement of the NHS. He lauded the ruling government for the concern for health and sanitation issues since it came into office.