BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Barbados’ main public health facility is set to undergo a major digital transformation to improve care for patients and reduce the risk of medical errors.
Today, in a bilateral meeting with prime minister Mia Mottley, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, announced that the EU will provide funding of €4.38 million for the digitalisation of the hospital. This complements a €38.4 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank for the Barbados Public Sector Modernisation Programme that aims at the digital transformation of the public sector in Barbados.
Commissioner Urpilainen, said:
“The EU’s Global Gateway aims to create trusted links in connectivity and support the digital transformation with our partner countries, while advancing human development. As part of our engagement with Barbados and the newly-launched Caribbean-EU partnerships, we are committed to continue supporting Barbados in its digital transition. Through this package to Queen Elizabeth hospital, patient care is set to improve and will simplify operations for the dedicated staff at the facility, in line with our upcoming new Global Health Strategy.”
This EU support will work to increase productivity in the hospital, improve patient care, and reduce risks of medical errors in the long term. Improving the delivery of quality public services to its citizens is a major initiative of the Barbadian Government and the new EU support aims at helping the Government to accelerate modernising the health sector. Commissioner Urpilainen has travelled to Barbados for a two-day mission to the country to launch the Caribbean-EU Partnerships as well as the EU Youth Action Plan in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Vice president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Ricardo Mourinho Félix, who arrived in the Caribbean this week to announce new EU healthcare financing, also visited the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Barbados today.
The EIB has financed COVID-related equipment at the Queen Elizabeth hospital. While in Barbados, the EIB vice president will also attend the regional ministerial meeting with CARIFORUM countries alongside European Union Commissioner Urpilainen.
