RIYADH: The Saudi Fund for Development’s chief executive officer Sultan Al-Marshad signed on Thursday a loan agreement worth $75 million with the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Philip Joseph Pierre, to help fund the St. Jude Hospital project in the Caribbean country. The signing 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 agreement is part of the SFD’s efforts to support sustainable development, a statement said. The SFD has implemented more than 700 development projects and programs in 89 countries around the world since its operations began in 1975. This deal marks the SFD’s first presence in Saint Lucia, making it the 90th nation to receive funds from the organization for a development project. The funding follows three years of inactivity on the reconstruction of the hospital, which was hit by fire in 2009. This inaction had put at risk the availability of health care services for Saint Lucia’s population. The SFD’s loan will help provide an integrated medical facility offering secondary medical care, with a capacity of about 100 beds. The project will also involve renovating the hospital’s southern, eastern, and western wings, as well as other buildings. The hospital will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a pharmacy, maternity wards, accident and emergency department, and operating rooms for surgery. The project will also contribute toward creating employment, both during construction and once the renovations are complete. It will also support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Pierre said: “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. “We have been able to achieve this milestone with the support of Saudi Arabia through the SFD, as we embrace a new era of collaboration to find sustainable solutions to tackle pressing issues. “Providing access to health care is not merely an economic or political imperative, it is a moral imperative, rooted in the values that define us as a country. It is about compassion; it is about empathy.” Al-Marshad said: “This agreement signifies an important step in the cooperation between both countries. “The project to reconstruct St. Jude Hospital will not only help empower local communities, but also contribute toward strengthening the health sector’s capacity to cater to the requirements of residents.”