SCHOOL FEEDING FOR ST ANN’S

The School Feeding Programme will begin supplying meals to St Ann’s Hospital from today  after the kitchen at the mental institution was ordered closed by the County Medical Officer of Health last Wednesday.

Although deemed to be in an unsanitary state, the kitchen was still used to prepare meals  yesterday because alternative arrangements had not yet been finalised. The North West Regional Health Authority which is responsible for St Ann’s is looking at the option of removing cooking equipment to the EWMSC so meals could be cooked at Mt Hope. A costing for both arrangements is being worked out to determine which is more cost effective. St Ann’s received a new van from EWMSC to transport meals to wards around the sprawling acreage since its vans were condemned because of the presence of bacteria.
No time frame has been set for refurbishment of the kitchen since the NWRHA must get new quotations for the work. The original tender for renovations at St Ann’s included the kitchen, however this had to be cancelled so work on the kitchen could be expedited. In addition, the cost for all the repairs was also in excess of the $1.2 million budget allocated to the facility.