Tufton says efforts underway to relocate patients from Black River Hospital
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, says efforts are underway to relocate patients from the Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth after the facility was cut off due to damage from Hurricane Melissa.
Dr Tufton, who is currently en route to the town, said there are approximately 71 patients at the hospital who need to be moved to other facilities.
“We are making arrangements with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the National Works Agency (NWA) to move patients to Mandeville because of the damages done to that facility, then from there to Cornwall Regional where we have some issues also, and then to Falmouth and Noel Holmes,” he said.
The minister added that he and his team will be spending the day assessing conditions along the coastlines, including Savanna-la-Mar, where significant damage was reported and patient evacuations are currently taking place.
