New Women's and Children's Health Centre

South Shore Health is celebrating Mother's Day early with the opening of the new Women's and Children's Health Centre.

The centre, which officially opened today, May 4, brings together a full range of services for women and children including in- patient obstetrical and pediatric care, obstetric and pediatric clinics and educational programs.

"By combining treatment and wellness services, South Shore Health will help mothers, babies, children, and families be, and stay, healthy. I'd like to offer my thanks and congratulations to South Shore Health, health professionals, and community organizations in Lunenburg and Queens counties for working together to develop this worthwhile project," said Premier John Hamm. "I am pleased to be here today to help celebrate this important initiative, which will improve health and health care for women and children on the South Shore."

In May 2003, the Department of Health pledged nearly $1 million to support construction of the centre -- one of the recommendations put forward in South Shore Health's clinical services plan. The centre, located at South Shore Regional Hospital, will allow the district to combine hospital-based care with health and wellness initiatives for a more comprehensive and integrated service.

"This approach will allow us to take a much broader view of the issues impacting women's and children's health," said medical director Dr. Mada Nestel. "We will be able to expand beyond basic obstetrical and pediatric care and work together with families to make decisions about their health and offer more opportunities for health promotion and education.

"By combining the skills and expertise of the staff and physicians who work in these areas and creating more opportunities for team work and co-operation, we will also have more flexibility in delivering the service," said Dr. Nestel.

The opening of the centre also gives South Shore Health the ability to better manage patients with infectious diseases. The Health Services Foundation of the South Shore committed $185,000 towards the installation of a ventilation system that will create an isolation room within the unit for patients with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, measles and chickenpox. The system also allows the district to isolate the entire unit if required. The South Shore Regional Hospital Auxiliary will furnish the unit.

"Today we are celebrating a new direction in women's and children's health, which will help us meet the changing health care needs of women and children in our district," said South Shore Health Board chair Roxie Smith. "On behalf of the board, I'd like to thank the Department of Health for its support as well as members of the board, staff and physicians, and community groups who helped make this project a reality. My sincere appreciation as well to the foundation and auxiliaries for their ongoing commitment to enhance the care we provide in this district."