The outgoing CEO of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital (DCFH), Dr. Dexter James, has reviewed his achievements and challenges at the medical centre. James, who tendered his resignation on Tuesday and will be returning to his home country in Trinidad and Tobago, said the DCFH recorded several successes despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that one of the major milestones achieved by the DCFH is the reduction in referrals to other hospitals in the Caribbean. He said the commissioning of major medical equipment such as the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and the High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) among others made this possible. These are high-level machines used to treat various cancers through non-invasive procedures.
James also listed the commissioning of the Brenda Strafford Foundation Eye Centre, the signing of a MoU between DCFH and the World Paediatric Care Project, the centralization of patients’ waiting lists, and the introduction of a minor cases unit within the Accident and Emergency department as some of his achievements.
He said the most recent successes of the hospital include partnering with the China Institute for Cardiovascular Imaging to produce echocardiograms MRI for congenital heart disease – the first in East Caribbean – and a MoU with a Martinique university and with Ross University for tertiary care and advanced cardiac life support at the DCFH.
The chief executive officer of the topmost hospital in Dominica recalled that the major challenges the DCFH faced during the COVID-19 pandemic was the need to repurpose buildings and the inadequacy of oxygen for patients.
We had challenges in sustaining oxygen. There was a time when we were producing one bottle of oxygen per hour in height of COVID 24 bottles a day. Today with will effort and the effort of philanthropic support, we’re now producing 60 bottles per day.
Dr. Dexter James, CEO of DCFH
The deputy chairman of Dominica Hospitals Authority (DHA), Eluid Williams, said the search is on for a new CEO for DCFH for when James exits the hospital. He said the DHA is working closely with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to get the DCFH accredited as well as construct new buildings for service expansion and visiting dignitaries among others. He equally thanked James for his meritorious service at the DCFH and wished him the best in his future endeavours.
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