Damage at KPH Could Cost Millions

Preliminary estimate of the damage to sections of the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the nation’s largest health care facility, could run into millions of dollars.
Currently, the hospital has assembled an assessment team to evaluate the extent and cost of the damage due to Hurricane Ivan, which wreaked havoc across the island on September 10.
“We will have to appeal for assistance as we get the full details of our needs,” David Dobson, Hospital Administrator at the KPH told JIS News.
Mr. Dobson said that damage was done to various areas of the hospital, despite valiant efforts by the staff to batten down these areas. He also noted that efforts were made to relocate patients from those areas that were deemed vulnerable.
“Those vulnerable areas were not affected as we thought, and in other areas where we anticipated, we suffered some damage, such as in the main block.the accident and emergency block. We suffered some damage to the roof and the main Victoria Jubilee block,” he pointed out, adding that those buildings had concrete roofs.
Mr. Dobson explained that drain pipes became blocked with debris which were blown from the roof. This caused a number of the floors at the hospital to be flooded.
The hospital, therefore, has been unable to commence rehabilitation of the affected areas because water continues to seep in some areas. For this reason, the hospital has been relocating patients to other health care institutions, and attending to only emergency cases.
“All out patient services have been suspended, and elective cases also will remain suspended until further notice,” Mr. Dobson stressed.
“The team is working assiduously to get things back to normal, which we hope will be in a few days,” he assured.