St. Vincent and the Grenadines minister hails Taiwan health assistance
St. Clair Prince, the Health Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines said Tuesday that technical and financial assistance from Taiwan has been a “tower of strength” as his country strives to reform its national care system.
Prince lauded Taiwan’s sustained support for his country’s national health reform and resilience initiative, which involves the construction of a new state-of-the-art hospital just outside of the capital Kingston, at a news conference hosted by the Embassy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Taipei.
According to Prince, the Arnos Vale Acute Care Hospital is scheduled to open in 2025.
The health minister also thanked Taipei for its assistance in combating noncommunicable diseases, which are the biggest cause of death in the Caribbean.
“We have a huge problem with noncommunicable diseases in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and indeed in the whole of the Caribbean,” Prince added, calling the challenges “perhaps the most serious threat to our livelihood and well-being.”
St. Vincent and the Grenadines currently have a diabetes prevention project financed by Taiwan, and Taiwanese technical specialists are working with local health professionals to figure out how to prevent, manage, and treat diabetes, according to Prince.
According to Prince, Taiwan’s Mackay Memorial Hospital is also training healthcare staff in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the development of prosthetic legs.
“We’re dealing with it, and Taiwan has been a pillar of strength in this area,” Prince remarked.
“We are going to place a lot of focus on diabetes prevention this year and next year in 2023,” the minister stated.
“Of course, Taiwan will be alongside us, assisting us in moving forward,” Prince added. “They will help to reinforce the entire system; we’ll get the money from the World Bank, but Taiwan will help us with technical support and whatever other assistance that Taiwan has offered.”
The press event was planned by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Embassy for Prince, who is in Taiwan for the 2022 Global Health and Welfare Forum, which takes place from October 30-31 in Taipei. He is scheduled to leave Taiwan on Wednesday.
