POGSON HOSPITAL CELEBRATES ITS 127TH ANNIVERSARY

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 01, 2019 (SKNIS): The Pogson Hospital, which was commissioned on March 31, 1892, and which was rebuilt and re-commissioned as the Pogson Medical Centre on March 26, 2009, is celebrating its 127^th anniversary. The Pogson Medical Centre marked its 10^th anniversary on March 26, 2019.

To commemorate this significant milestone, the staff of the Pogson Medical Centre is celebrating the 127^th anniversary of the Pogson Hospital with a number of activities, which kicked off with a church service on March 31 at the Emmanuel Methodist Church, Crab Hill, Sandy Point. Health officials in attendance at the church service comprised Minister of State with responsibility for Health, the Honourable Wendy Phipps, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Delores Stapleton-Harris, Director of Institutional Nursing Services, Mrs. Sonia Daly Finley; and Operations Manager, Ms. Gail Cranstoun. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, William Vincent Hodge was also present.

Some of the 127^th anniversary activities include interviews with respect to the Pogson Hospital in the 20^th century on ZIZ Television; on Friday April 5 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, there will be a Health Fair, which will consist of blood pressure and diabetes checks, Body Mass Index and Dental Screening, and Asthma Education; additionally, on Friday April 5, all health care providers are invited to a movie night in the Pogson Medical Centre Parking Lot at 7:00 pm; and on Friday April 12, there will be a Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at the Pogson Medical Centre Conference Room for retired and present staff.

The establishment of the Pogson Hospital was provided for in the last will and testament of former Bourke’s Estate owner, Mr. Edward Pogson. His wish was that the facility be for emergency care, especially for maternity cases re: workers in the sugar industry. He wanted to end the practice of female sugar workers giving birth in the cane fields, a common practice then.

The Pogson Hospital is situated on the right of the Medical Centre and to this day, has a labour and delivery suite, as per the original intent of the donor, Mr. Edward Pogson.