A decade after planning began to renovate and modernize the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority's Maternal Child Health Ward, hospital officials said Friday the project is finally ready to move from planning to construction.
The hospital has secured the necessary finalized procurement approvals to begin Phase One of the project which will renovate roughly 17,230 square feet of existing hospital space and add 4,160 square feet with the expansion of the second floor into the existing courtyard.
"Altogether, more than 21,000 square feet will be rebuilt or added to transform GMHA’s Labor and Delivery, Maternity, Postpartum, Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit services," the hospital said.
Plans include:
Eight labor and delivery rooms
Three combined labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms
Fifteen postpartum rooms
A dedicated Cesarean section room and recovery area
Expanded family waiting and lactation spaces
Modernized nurses’ stations, medication rooms and clinical support areas
A new elevator, stairway and improved lobby access
Upgraded medical gas, HVAC, electrical, fire-protection, nurse-call and life-safety systems
GMHA said the project will also increase capacity to care for the island's "smallest and most vulnerable patients" by doubling the size of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to 3,600 square feet and increasing NICU capacity from four beds to nine.
“As a nurse, I understand how deeply the care environment affects mothers, newborns and the teams who care for them,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said. “This historic project will create safer, more modern spaces that keep families together and give our healthcare professionals the environment they need to provide their best care. Our administration is proud to help move this long-awaited investment from promise to progress.”
Planning began in 2016, and the project design was completed in 2019.
During a May 10, 2024, informational hearing on the status of the MCH Ward project, hospital officials at the time noted that the design for the project had been shelved for various reasons including waiting for a new hospital to be built and increased costs.
Hospital officials said the project was estimated to cost about $9 million in 2019. Rising construction and material costs have since increased the price tag to nearly $17.9 million.
On Friday, the hospital said $17,848,305 has been secured for Phase One of the MCH project. According to GMHA, $15 million was provided through Public Law 36-107 and $2,848,305 through Public Law 38-80.
GMHA said construction will be conducted in stages to avoid disruption to newborn services. Construction will begin in the labor and delivery unit, followed by postpartum areas, the expanded NICU and the remaining maternity spaces.
Interim Hospital Administrator and CEO Dr. Joleen Aguon called the development a historic milestone.
“For years, our nurses, physicians and staff have provided extraordinary care in spaces that have not kept pace with the needs of our patients. After more than a decade of planning, funding, redesign and persistence, this project is finally ready to be built. We are not waiting for a future hospital to improve care. We are building better care at GMHA now,” Aguon said.
GMHA said the MCH Ward project is designed around the needs of mothers, babies, families and healthcare professionals.
"The new environment will reduce unnecessary movement for mothers during labor, delivery and recovery and help keep mothers and newborns together whenever medically appropriate," GMHA said.
Dr. Thomas Shieh, an obstetrician and gynecologist who helped develop the design alongside nurses, pediatricians and patients, recalled when work on the plan began.
He commended Aguon, Dr. Ricardo Eusebio, associate administrator of Medical Services, and Zaldy Tugade, the facilities maintenance manager, for their efforts.
"I prayed daily and will continue to pray when we break ground to its completion. I have been delivering babies in Guam for 30 straight years, and I guess I can’t retire anytime soon. Blessings to all involved. Thank you," Shieh said.
GMHA did not provide an anticipated completion date for Phase One. The hospital said it will keep the community apprised of the construction schedule and progress as work moves forward.
