Normality Returns to Cornwall Regional Hospital

Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James is now back in full operation and ready to receive all patients.Clinton Pickering, Public Relations Officer for the hospital, told JIS News that electricity and water supplies have been fully restored and the out patient clinic, which was suspended due to the hurricane, would be reopened on Tuesday (Sept. 21).
He said that no patients were adversely affected by the closure of the out patient clinic. “The management and staff of the hospital were very pro-active and had things under control throughout the hurricane. Those patients who were well enough to be sent home were sent home and the remaining ones were relocated to areas where they could be better managed”, he told JIS News.
He commended the members of staff of the hospital for their “yeoman service” in the period leading up to and after the hurricane. “They worked three shifts or more just to ensure that patients were well taken care of. During the unstable period an old generator had to be relied upon for electricity and thank God, this held up until the Jamaica Public Service Company reinstated our regular supplies,” Mr. Pickering said.
The hospital, which is the chief medical facility in western Jamaica, suffered only minor structural damage during the hurricane with the heavy winds destroying some doors and glass windows.
“The only significant problem the hospital faced in the aftermath of the hurricane was the damage to the canteen, where the whole side of a louvered board siding was blown away. The rest of the hospital was quite all right for the most part, with only the discomfort of water slightly flooding some areas,” he informed.