Hospital faces months of disruption
THERE could be severe disruptions to s ervices at Letterkenny General Hospital for ‘a number of months’ because of extensive damage f r om contaminated flood water.
James Reilly made the prediction after he visited the site in Co. Donegal at the weekend.
The Health Minister said a couple of feet of water containing ‘sewage’ and ‘debris’ flooded the hospital, leaving large sections of it completely out of commission.
Cancer and heart patients have had to be moved to new wards, the kitchen has been closed, operations have been cancelled and emergency patients are being re- directed to hospitals in Sligo and Derry.
Appointments for endoscopies, or internal camera tests used in the diagnosis of illnesses including colon cancer, have also been cancelled. Patients scheduled to attend the Radiology Department for MRI and CT scans and X-rays in the diagnosis of some illnesses, including lifethreatening cancers, are also being rescheduled.
The new €24million emergency department, which was officially opened by Dr Reilly four months ago, as well as the radiology, outpatients, pathology and medical records departments, were the worst hit by last Friday’s flooding.
Last night, local TDs Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Charlie McConalogue last night called for an inquiry into why such a ‘costly’ unit was flooded. Dr Reilly said there was a ‘sizeable’ water drain built at the hospital. But he said the downpour was so heavy that a large amount of debris washed in and blocked the drain.