Heavy rain has threatened the health of patients at Vanuatu’s tertiary referral hospital, Vila Central Hospital (VCH), and the impending cyclone plotting its way southwards towards Shefa Province is bringing more worries for patients and staff.
Despite the new complex having been opened in the hospital compound in Port Vila, poor drainage and heavy run-off during substantial downpours led to flooding into the hospital wards with patients having to climb up onto their beds to stay dry.
Over the last few weeks, nursing staff have struggled to contain the tide of rainwater as it rushes down the hospital slopes and crashes into the Children’s, Surgical and Medical wards.
Patients with relatives rushed to save their belongings from the flood as rain-water crept under the doors into the wards reaching ankle high levels in some of the wards.
“We tried our best but could not stop the heavy rain from flooding into the wards and it is becoming a big concern for the health of our patients and our equipment,” said a nurse after last week’s downpour.
The VCH kitchen was also affected with supplies being damaged by the flood water.
Eye-witnesses confirmed that the Vanuatu Mobile Force were called in to assist on one occasion to drain the run-off before it flooded into the wards.
With the new complex, it would seem logical that drainage systems would be upgraded, however, that does not seem to be the case.
Patients and their relatives were left stranded last week when heavy rain flooded the ward and nursing staff had to wear water boots to carry out their duties in the muddy deluge.
The VCH administration have set about cleaning the drainage systems but hospital staff are anxious that further downpours, especially during this cyclone season, may cause more extensive damage and force the wards to shut down.
Patients and their families who experienced the downpour have raised their concerns with the VCH administration in the hopes something will be done to prevent flooding in the wards during heavy rain in the future.
As Vanuatu’s tertiary referral hospital, VCH treats 60 to100 patients in the wards each month and this number is expected to increase.
A patient stated: “At some stage, we have to build better wards and avoid rainwater flooding into the ward.
“This is what you should see in islands, not in our main hospital.”
Given the cyclone season, VCH administrators are reportedly taking every measures to prevent this problem threatening patients in the ward.
Commented