SFD inks US $75mn deal to rebuild hospital in Saint Lucia
The agreement is part of the SFD’s efforts to support sustainable development
A loan agreement worth US $75mn has been signed by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. The deal will see the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the St. Jude hospital.
The deal is SFD’s first in Saint Lucia, making the Caribbean country the 90th nation to receive funds from the organisation for a development project.
According to a statement, the project involves creating an integrated medical facility offering secondary medical care to Saint Lucia’s population, with a capacity of around 100 beds. It also includes the renovation of several of its wings and sub-buildings.
“Today, we are one step closer to making amends to the people of Saint Lucia, particularly to the people of the south of the island, by securing funding for the reconstruction of the St. Jude Hospital,” stated the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip Joseph Pierre.
He added, “We have been able to achieve this milestone with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the SFD, as we embrace a new era of collaboration to find sustainable solutions to tackle pressing issues.”
The signing ceremony was also attended by Saint Lucia’s Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation Alva Baptiste; the Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs Moses Jn. Baptiste; and government officials from both sides.
The funding follows three years of inactivity on the reconstruction of the hospital, which was hit by fire in 2009. The inaction had put at risk the availability of health care services for Saint Lucia’s population, a report noted.
The SFD is now said to have implemented more than 700 development projects and programs in 89 countries around the world since its operations began in 1975.
