Bethany Health Centre in deplorable condition: residents need urgent help

By Royan Abrams

Residents of the small Amerindian community of Bethany in region two is calling for an urgent upgrade of its Health Centre.

News Room understands that the current facility which is the only Health Centre in the community is presently life threatening to health officials and even patients visiting the centre as it is infested with bats and lack proper sanitation facilities and potable water.

It was noted that this condition has been prevailing for over five years.

Speaking with News Room earlier this week, village captain, Harold Marslowe related that “It really bad, when people bring them children here at the health centre them skin does turn red because of the bat faeces that falling from the roof and the scent.”

Photos showing state of Health Centre

According to the village captain, several reports were made to the Ministry of Public Health after which officials were sent into the community to inspect the building, however to date nothing has been done to improve its condition.

Marslowe disclosed that the roof was previously replaced in an effort to solve the problem but this proved futile.

The midwife attached to the Bethany Health Center, Ramona Thomas told News Room that the state of the building is not suitable for a health facility.

She added that as a result of the bat infestation and faeces falling from the roof of the building, she has taken ill for several weeks.

Thomas said, “this place making me sick, now I got cough, my hair dropping and my skin itching.”

She disclosed that when it rains, persons cannot work in the building as a result of the leaking roof.

Bethany is a small Amerindian community in region two with a population of over 500 residents.