Clarification Regarding Mount Sinai International Affiliation Agreement
The Government of Grenada wishes to clarify information published on NOW Grenada on 14 May 2025 regarding the Collaboration and Licensing Agreement (CLA) with Mount Sinai International.
The 15-year CLA establishes an affiliation between the Government of Grenada and Mount Sinai in relation to the new smart hospital to be built in Hope Vale, not the existing General Hospital.
Key Corrections:
- Affiliation Scope: The Government of Grenada’s affiliation with Mount Sinai applies exclusively to the future state-of-the-art smart hospital under Project Polaris.
- General Hospital’s Role: Mount Sinai was engaged by the Government of Grenada in September 2024 to provide quality improvement consultation at the existing General Hospital. While Grenada values its ongoing relationship with Mount Sinai, the existing General Hospital is not an affiliate of Mount Sinai.
Additional Context:
On September 27, 2024 a separate agreement with Mount Sinai for consultation service focused on improvements at the existing General Hospital, distinct from the May 2025 CLA which relates to the new smart hospital to be built on the Hope Vale Medical City.
Project Polaris remains Grenada’s cornerstone for healthcare transformation, as outlined in the National Development Plan 2035.
by Linda Straker
- 15-year collaboration and licensing agreement will make General Hospital a Mount Sinai Health System affiliate
- Grenada will pay US$2.5 million to Mount Sinai
- Project Polaris will see construction of new research/teaching hospital in Grenada
The Government of Grenada has signed a 15-year collaboration and licensing agreement with Mount Sinai International that will make the General Hospital in Grenada an affiliate of the Mount Sinai Health System.
A “Mount Sinai affiliate” refers to an organisation or institution that has a formal affiliation with Mount Sinai Health System, which includes the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. This affiliation can take various forms, including clinical, academic, or research partnerships, and it often involves collaboration on teaching, research, and patient care.
The signing of the agreement between Grenada and Mount Sinai International was the highlight of a news conference on 14 May 2025. Health Minister Phillip Telesford and Dr Szabi Dorotovics, President of Mount Sinai International, signed the agreement. Grenada will pay US$2.5 million to the healthcare institution, whose head office is in New York, USA.
Andrea St Bernard, lead government representative for the new hospital project which is labelled as “Project Polaris”, said that the collaboration and licensing agreement allows the Government of Grenada to benefit from the experience and expertise from the full network of services offered by Mount Sinai.
The goal of “Project Polaris” is the construction of a new research/teaching hospital in Grenada, as announced by government in late 2022 and recommended in the 2035 National Development Plan. Government has already purchased 84 acres of land in the Hopevale, St George area, for the construction of the medical complex that will comprise the hospital, hotel and other facilities.
“A main component of the agreement is a license to Mount Sinai International for the General Hospital to be known as an affiliate or have an affiliation with Mount Sinai. “What that means is that Mount Sinai is committed to working with the Government of Grenada to ensure we raise our standards to internationally recognised levels,” St Bernard explained.
“The consequence of losing that agreement is essentially that we will lose the benefit of that collaboration and the benefit of being able to license the General Hospital as an affiliation of Mount Sinai. It’s an agreement that signifies collaboration where the two partners are working together, maintaining the vision of improving the healthcare service,” said St Bernard.
In his remarks, Dr Dorotovics thanked the Government of Grenada for choosing Mount Sinai International as its long-term strategic partner. “This is a very historic project for your country, and it is a huge and very important undertaking for our health system as well.” Dorotovics stated, “We aim to share our innovations, cutting-edge technology, and knowledge developed over the years with our international partners…This is not a short-term commitment; we signed today a 15-year agreement, and we are here to stay, and we are here to be your partner in a true sense.”
In October 2024, the Government of Grenada announced that it had signed an agreement with Mount Sinai Health System. At the time, a press release from the Government Information Service (GIS) said that the agreement was aimed at modernising and improving the delivery of health and medical services to all Grenadians.
The release further explained that this first agreement with Mount Sinai was the beginning of a unique partnership, which will transform Grenada’s healthcare system through the strengthening of the existing Grenada General Hospital in the initial phase.
“The partnership is a major milestone under Project Polaris, which includes the development of a state-of-the-art, smart research hospital in Hope Vale, Grenada. Project Polaris is the cornerstone of the transformation and modernisation of the health and wellness sectors in Grenada,” said the October 2024 release.
This is absolutely outrageous and wreckless. This going from bad to worse. It no different than NNP finders fees for the National stadium. The government coffers seems to be a cash cow for the well connected.
Grenada healthcare is universal and free. Tying into a for profit system is disastrous….
Grenada paying them?? Where is the move to bring Grenada into the 21st century with their methods of operating NOW. They have.NO medical records system, no medical charts for patients, they are working in the Dark Ages in how they even book appointments. As much as we thank the Cubans for their help over the years the medical system in Grenada must move into modern times long before you get a new hospital built. Too many people die on Grenada that shouldn’t because of antiquated systems expecting individuals maintaining and providing their own medical records. Make changes now. How has Mount Sinai helped from 2024 to todays date? The Trump administration may well VETO this agreement. Where’s the money coming from to pay fior this?