Minister of Health Daniel Cummings says the Modern Medical Complex in Georgetown is facing significant operational and structural challenges that contradict its name.
The Minister characterised the facility and others built by the previous administration as being “ancient and archaic” in function despite being labelled “modern”.
Cummings said the facility is currently experiencing a “backing up of sewage“, with the problem attributed to poor planning regarding the dialysis unit, which expanded rapidly from five patients to over 80.
“Because dialysis requires a high volume of water and produces significant waste, the facility’s standard septic tank has become overloaded, as it lacks the specialist sewage infrastructure required for such medical procedures”.
The Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) has been called in to help address this issue, the minister stated.
He said the complex is in immediate need of roof repairs and this damage is cited as a consequence of the facility’s poorly chosen location, which left it vulnerable to the volcanic activity and blasts from the recent eruption.
The Minister stated that the choice to place the facility in Georgetown was driven by “partisan politics” rather than proper planning.
Cummings stated that experts had previously advised against putting the facility in that location, and the current state of dilapidation is seen as a result of that ignored advice.