The Princess Margaret Hospital  yesterday  was gifted with 25 beds courtesy of the PMH foundation, whose mission is to actually strengthen the hospital’s ability to provide high quality healthcare.

The  Hospital is faced with a 200- bed shortage.

Public Hospitals Authority Deputy Managing Director Lyrone Burrows said the donation comes  on the heels of an ongoing appeal to replace old patient beds throughout the facility.

He added that the  PHA is  working on improving wards throughout the hospital to significantly reduce the bed shortage issue.

“We obviously have a long term plan in terms of the expansion of the Princess Margret Hospital, which obviously  requires a significant amount of capital.

“We’re looking to benefactors like the PMH Foundation , but as well as the Bahamian public at large, and international donors though our efforts.

“In the first phase,  we’re talking in the region of about $200 million that needs to be funded to provide us with the necessary expansion that we’re looking for,” he said.

Mr. Burrows could not say when phase one of PMH’s expansion will begin. However, he acknowledged that capital funding is the main issue.

“Obviously, everyone understands the  position that the PHA is at in terms of being able to meet its day to day recurrent needs.

“It is something that we have had in our strategic plan and we’re working to get higher levels of funding from the government,  but also from donors as well,” he said.

A number of wards were in need of repair adding to the bed shortage. Mr. Burrows said until those wards are up and running again, one of the hospital’s strategies is to not hold any patient longer than expected.

“That is also a part of engaging in the new A and E development where we will be utilizing some of our public health clinics as our urgent care centers,” he said.

Twenty-three  of the new beds are earmarked for the ward  Female Medical 1 and one each for the Gynae and Maternity wards.