‘A long, hard journey’

BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — Even as four major wards are set to reopen today at the 180-bed Black River Hospital, the memory of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa exactly a year ago lingers in the minds of many here. Chief executive officer at the Black River Hospital Diana Brown-Miller still remembers the moment the roofs of all major buildings were ripped off and how staff had to rush to move babies to safety during the ordeal. Last Friday the hospital administrator monitored the final work on the four wards with anticipation for a return to normalcy. “It has been a long hard journey. There are times when we were frustrated, depressed, suffered anxiety and a lot of us were having post-traumatic stress disorder. Yes, help has been provided from the [southern] region and others came to assist, but it has been mixed feelings,” Brown-Miller told the Jamaica Observer .

“We are happy with what we are seeing now and where we are at. We had hoped that it would have been completed before [now], but we are building back better and are going to be more resilient. When you look at the light at the end of the tunnel, we can only thank God for what has happened in terms of where we are now with the construction. We are looking forward to moving in,” added Brown-Miller. The four wards set for reopening at the seaside hospital today are two male, a female and the paediatric. Workmen putting the finishing touches to a two-floor building which will house four new wards at the Black River Hospital. (Photo: Garfield Robinson) Brown-Miller said operating theatres were reopened in June to serve patients at the facility. “Things have taken shape. Before the storm we had space for 150 beds; based on our calculations now we will reach 181. Two verandahs have been expanded for a new…