Jamaica News, April 20, 2018
Patients at the Cornwall Regional Hospital Finally Relocated
by Sherlock Holmes, Special Investigator
Our news team has now learnt that the patients and staff at the Dialysis Unit of Cornwall Regional Hospital have been relocated to other medical facilities on Tuesday, April 7. Our correspondent spoke to Dr. Delroy Frey, Clinical Ward Coordinator and was told that a total of 117 patients and several dozen clinical staff members made the final move.
Minister of Health, Dr. Christopher Tufton on Tuesday afternoon stated that members were all relocated to three separate medical facilities within the parish. Over the last two weeks, there have been numerous reports from the Dialysis Unit of patients and staff members with symptoms that were seen in others at the hospital before the mass evacuation of all wards and health services.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Minister of Health along with the Leader of Opposition toured the facility during which time the Minister pointed out that the hospital was 95% evacuated.
In 2017, recommendations were made to then Minister of Health, that the main building at the Cornwall Regional Hospital be evacuated permanently, due to noxious fumes from the hospital’s ventilation system along with other health risks such as mold infestation in the building’s structure. All wards and clinics at the facility were relocated except the Dialysis Unit. It has now been brought to light that the Unit itself had developed the similar challenges like the other Wards at the hospital which had already been relocated.
It has been reported that on Friday, April 6th, a nurse at the Unit had to be relocated after she showed signs of similar symptoms of rash, severe itching and coughing of blood that caused the 2017 mass evacuation. We also learnt that during the last two weeks, patients developed pimples and other visible symptoms of being similarly infected.
According to Dr. Frey, following the tour, a final move was made and all the patients and staff at the Dialysis Unit have now been safely relocated. Patients at the Cornwall Regional Hospital Finally Relocated