The construction of the new National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) campus is progressing as planned says contractor, Vijay Construction Ltd. This follows the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Health and Vijay Construction Ltd, held earlier this year in January for the construction of a new health training facility.
Three months on, in providing the latest update to government on how the work is progressing, the contractor has so far undertaken the removal of debris, site preparation and stripping of the old building. Preparatory construction works has began for an additional floor which will be added to create space for more classrooms while the new partitioning layout will be redesigned to address current needs of the training institute. The building will be reconstructed in the same design but replacing the eroding structure previously made of crushed coral whilst the main facade will remain in order to preserve the historical elements of the building.
The previous building, which was in a dilapidated state was built more than 70 years ago and was the site of the Princess Elizabeth Nurses Home in 1950. Over the years, it has been used for various health related activities and for the training of Health professionals.
“One thing that the global COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of is that our health professionals are not only critical in ensuring the health of our population but also the continued development of our nation and country. For this to be maintained in the long-run, we need to ensure the necessary training facilities for our healthcare givers are available and implemented alongside a progressive and long-term capacity building programme. Health remains top priority on the Government’s agenda and through our various ongoing partnerships such as in this case with Vijay Construction Ltd, we will continue to support the Ministry of Health in its efforts to further improve the health services provided to our people. We look forward to the completion of the new National Institute of Health and Social Studies” said President Ramkalawan.
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