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Kaikoura IFHC site blessed
MEDIA RELEASE
May 23, 2014
Kaikoura IFHC site blessed
Kaikoura’s long awaited Integrated Family Health Centre’s site was given a traditional Maori blessing this morning to prepare it for the construction that’s about to start.
Members from the community and representatives from Te Runanga o Kaikoura, the Kaikoura District Council, the Kaikoura Health Facility Charitable Trust, Canterbury District Health Board, Arrow International, and Kaikoura MP Colin King gathered at dawn with for the official ceremony.
The ceremony marks a farewell of the old Kaikoura Hospital s in preparation for the new Kaikoura Integrated Family Health Centre and was a welcome to Arrow International as the construction contractor.
Sir Mark Solomon acknowledged the sadness of losing the old buildings but says the new building will give the community hope for the future.
“As a family this hospital has been here for us for everything from births, and deaths to cut thumbs. We are sad to see it go, but at the same time we know that what replaces it will be a great benefit to the community,” Sir Mark said.
David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive, says the ceremony highlights new beginnings.
“Thanks for making the journey to mark the event. Enabling works start soon which signal the start of something really exciting for Kaikoura. It’s been a long road to get here but thanks to lots of hard work by the community we are at a point where we can start construction,” Mr Meates says.
“The town is a growing
international tourist destination and now we will have
quality facilities to offer. We couldn’t have done it
without the help and support of the people of Kaikoura as
well as the district council for both their patience and
enthusiasm.”
The new $13 million Kaikoura Integrated
Family Health Centre will replace the old hospital and
provide facilities for primary care, aged care, acute care,
maternity care, radiology services and trauma
stabilisation.
Today’s ceremony was particularly
significant for Dr Lloyd Johnson, now retired, who served
for many years as a GP in Kaikoura and Mary Gordon, wife of
the late Dr Geoff Gordon who had a passion for providing
excellent health care in the Kaikoura district.
Dr Gordon was instrumental in moving the practice to the existing facility and went to great lengths to keep the facility operational.
Winston Gray, Kaikoura Mayor, says the Kaikoura community has consistently shown support for their health services over the years and now for this project having already raised nearly $700,000 towards it.
“It’s gratifying to see how everyone has got behind it. We are grateful to the Canterbury DHB who stuck with the project in spite of having to deal with the fallout from the Canterbury earthquakes.”
Mark Hopwood, Arrow International CEO, says Arrow had been welcomed on to the site and into the wider Kaikoura whanau.
“We feel privileged to be tasked with the responsibility to deliver a successful project.”
Notes:
•
The government has agreed to a $10 million spend to support
the construction of a family healthcare centre at
Kaikoura.
• The community is raising the other
$3.4 million that is needed.
• The new IFHC
will be on the site of the old hospital so it will be a
complex, staged development.
• The Kaikoura
hospital originally opened on June 3, 1912 – parts of it
are over 100 years old making it the oldest health facility
in use in Canterbury, and possibly New
Zealand.
ENDS
Canterbury DHB
CDHB
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based hospital and healthcare provider for the
Canterbury region of New Zealand. Our region extends from Kekerengu in the North, to Rangitata in the South and Arthurs Pass in the West and comprises the six Territorial Local Authorities of Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Ashburton.
We collaborate with other health and disability organisations, stakeholders and our community to decide what health and disability services are needed and how to best use the funding we receive from Government to improve, promote and protect the health, wellbeing and independence of our population.
At the Canterbury DHB, our vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Canterbury.
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