The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has officially renamed the Victoria Hospital the Dr. Winston C.V. Parris Medical Complex, following a ceremony on the compound of the medical facility earlier this week.
The ceremony which attracted a long list of local dignitaries also brought together foreign medical colleagues, as well as Minister of Health Moses JnBaptiste and Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre.
Sir Dr. Winston C.V. Parris was being recognized and honoured for his contribution in the medical field locally, regionally and internationally in the field of pain management. He was showered with praise for having been, at one time, the only Consultant Anesthesiologist at the Victoria Hospital for an extended period.
Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, Hon. Moses Jn Baptiste said he is deeply grateful to Sir. Dr. Winston Parris for his contribution and exceptional service over the years working at Victoria Hospital. “This government is committed to ensuring that your name, Sir Winston Parris which will be arched on the walls of this institution will be associated continually with excellence: the excellence you brought to the world. We are going to ensure that we continue to work with you to ensure that Saint Lucia’s name to continue to be heralded everywhere in the world.”
Parliamentary Representative for Castries South Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, who was also on hand to deliver remarks, welcomed the renaming of the Victoria Hospital and said he is proud to have this health facility located and serving the people of his constituency.
Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre applauded Sir Dr. Winston Parris for his unwavering contribution to healthcare and said it is unquestionably necessary that he is honored, respected and loved. “I want to thank Sir Dr. Winston Parris. I want the doctors and nurses to use him as an inspiration, a mentor, somebody who can come from Mary Ann street in Castries and reach Duke University; Tennessee; speak to Presidents; chair Presidential councils but still return and come back to Saint Lucia and remain grounded and remain Saint Lucian. I thank you for that.”
Sir Dr. Winston C.V. Parris, for his part, was present to unveil the sign bearing the new hospital name. He expressed immense pride and joy to have his legacy honored. He also highlighted his vision for the health facility. “My hope for the Dr. Winston Parris Medical Complex is that it would improve the delivery of healthcare in Saint Lucia; that it would attract new specialties through this facility and in particular for Saint Lucia and it would stimulate research inquiry in complex medical syndromes affecting Saint Lucia and the Caribbean people.”
The newly named Dr. Winston C.V. Parris Medical Complex is currently undergoing a phased redevelopment that is expected to secure a position for the facility as a premier medical complex aimed at delivering exceptional healthcare service.
The Dr. Winston C.V. Parris Medical Complex comprises the Dr. Betty Wells Urban Polyclinic (National Eye Clinic and Urgent Care) and the Millennium Heights Medical Complex secondary care wing.