Press Release
U.S. Team Assesses Hospital Damage
Bridgetown, Barbados, Thursday, September 24th, 2009 – A team of eight experts from The U.S. Southern Command and the US Embassy have been meeting with officials
from the Ministry of Health, Economic Affairs, and Foreign Affairs as well as hospital and regional health clinic administrators to make an assessment on how residents are coping with the loss of St Jude's Hospital to fire.
On September 21 the team conducted extensive on-site evaluations of St. Jude's, the temporary hospital operating out of George Odlum Stadium and regional health clinics in Laborie and Soufriere. On September 22 the team toured Victoria and Tapion Hospitals, the district hospital in Dennery, and the clinic in Vieux Fort to determine how they are handling the extra demand as patients are sent north for urgent care.
The team will present a comprehensive assessment to the Government of St. Lucia addressing issues from the possibilities for rebuilding of St. Jude's to how best to provide urgent care to patients in the southern part of St Lucia.
“The United States has been saddened by this tragedy and is determined to assist the government and people of St. Lucia in this hour of need,” said D. Brent Hardt Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown.