Jamaica News, April 11, 2018 – Noxious Fumes Affect Patients and Staff at Cornwall Regional Hospital Dialysis Unit
Montego Bay, Jamaica (McKoy’s News) – Our news team has learnt that, over the past week several patients and staff at the Dialysis Unit at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, have been reacting to the life threatening case of noxious fumes.
It has also been disclosed that the staff and patients within the Unit are now being affected by severe respiratory issues to the point of coughing up blood, burning eyes, burning of the skin and severe headaches.
One patient at the Dialysis Unit told our news team that, she is now being affected by the fumes and the only action that has been taken so far, has been a visit to the unit by a team from the Medical Administration, who recorded names of persons affected.
Our news team caught up with Senior Doctor and Clinic Coordinator at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Dr Delroy Frey, who stated that he has been informed that there is in fact a problem developing at the Dialysis Unit, however, he is unable to comment on the level of the problem because he has not yet visited the Unit.
Dr Frey stated that during the course of Thursday, he will be carrying out an investigation at the Unit, to assess the severity of the symptoms that the staff and patients are experiencing, by then he says, he will be able to give a full report on the seriousness of the issue.
In the year 2017, recommendations were made by the Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton for the main building at the Cornwall Regional Hospital be evacuated due to noxious fumes from the hospital’s ventilation system and mold infestation in the building’s structure. All wards and clinics at the facility were relocated, except for the Dialysis Unit.
It has now been brought to light, that the Unit has developed similar challenges like the other Wards which were relocated.
It has been reported that last Friday, April 6, a nurse at the Unit had to be relocated after she reacted with the said symptoms of rash and severe itching. We also learnt that during the course of this week patients’ faces broke out with pimples on their.
Several patients at the hospital voiced their concern and stated that they have to be dialyzed once or twice each week.
It is also said the area now poses a serious health threat, especially to staff who have to operate in and around the Unit during the week.