Relocating health facilities may not be the solution

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I read with great interest the article quoting state minister Elon Thompson speaking to the need to remove health facilities from the shorelines of the areas devastated by Hurricane Melissa.

This is something that should be given serious consideration especially when one looks at the original reason for them being located where they are. The location of health facilities throughout the Caribbean is a history lesson, as they were placed in the remotest and most inaccessible region of a town.

Most are either on top of a hill, or out on a peninsula. This was for two main purposes, to ensure that it is away from the existing population and where there was fresh and continuous flow of air. These facilities were built in the pre-antibiotic era and in order to reduce the risk or spread of infection they were so positioned.

The St Ann’s Bay Hospital, Port Antonio Hospital, and many others that are atop a hill coupled with Falmouth Hospital, Black River Hospital and the original Montego Bay Hospital that were next to the sea, ensuring their seclusion. Even the TB sanatorium now called National Chest Hospital was put in a jungle like environment to ensure it was remote and secluding those with tuberculosis. That hospital is now in the heart of Hope Pastures, prime real estate area, is an argument for its removal.

Moving the hospitals away from such areas (now that antibiotics have been discovered!) is a sound idea. But other things need to be taken into consideration. The idea of a long single or double story hospital is more suited to our climates than the tower like structure like the original Cornwall Regional Hospital. We still have fresh clean air which must be utilised for ventilation.

The use of solar panels and even windmills must supplement the public power supply. Other climate smart initiatives including water harvesting, use of ramps and designs which minimise dependence on elevators etc. must be taken into consideration. The structure itself must be able to withstand the storms that we face ahead

The relocation process and construction of new facilities is extremely expensive and we have to be mindful of the fact that most of our hospitals are heavily under resourced and the concern is more what is inside the hospital than where they are. Nonetheless with constructive collaborative thinking, modernised, location friendly, and smart health facilities are worth looking at.

DR AKSHAI MANSINGH