One of the projects includes the Cayey Municipal Hospital, which is nearing completion of its repairs.
Guaynabo, PUERTO RICO – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved nearly $21.4 million for several medical facilities in Puerto Rico. The main allocation is for several Diagnostic and Treatment Centers (CDT, in Spanish) that provide outpatient services to their communities.
“In addition to serving the primary health needs of Puerto Ricans, the CDTs relief hospital emergency rooms. As we repair more medical facilities, we strengthen and support stability for this type of service on the island,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José Baquero.
One of the agency’s obligations goes to the Cayey Municipal Hospital, which is already in its final stage of reconstruction. The hospital’s administrator, Jayson Pérez Rivera, said the hospital has 61 employees and serves an average of 3,500 people per month among the 21 neighborhoods of Cayey and neighboring towns. The institution has an emergency room, laboratory, X-Ray, pharmacy and emergency medical corps; in addition to general and internal medicine, psychiatry, audiology, ophthalmology, oncology, a radiotherapy center and a surgical center.
Pérez Rivera said that offering services to the communities after the passing of Hurricane María was “a lesson in solidarity and empathy with our neighbor” that allowed them to get through the entire work operation. “For me, repairing and preserving this institution is a priority and meaningful. It protects, supports and watches over the health of our people, its communities and visitors from neighboring towns, all equally.”
The municipality received approval for nearly $3.2 million to replace multiple air conditioning units, remediate mold damage and install an emergency generator. The waterproofing and anchoring of equipment are part of the mitigation measures.
On the other hand, residents and neighbors of the municipality of Yabucoa will see repairs to the CDT on Saturnio Rodríguez Street after the allocation of over $4.2 million from FEMA. The mayor of Yabucoa, Rafael Surillo Ruiz, explained that, although operating the health center during and after the cyclone was a great challenge, the CDT continued to offer services to the community and even served as the Emergency Operations Center.
For the mayor, “this is the main project. To be able to repair it and create a strong structure that can serve as a shelter and provide 24-hour services because, for us, this is the only hospital we have nearby. It is important that we can keep it functioning in difficult times such as the hurricane or any other atmospheric event.”
Meanwhile, the CDT on Corchado Avenue in Canóvanas already has the necessary funds to repair its structure and once again serve patients from the town, as well as residents of Carolina, Fajardo, Loíza and Río Grande. Over $7.8 million from the agency will go to repair this center, which served some 3,000 patients a month before Hurricane María hit.
About half of the funds will go to mitigation measures, which include sealing the roof; replacing storm-resistant windows and doors; installing concrete block walls inside the building to prevent water filtration; and anchoring equipment to the structure’s roof.
Likewise, FEMA allocated nearly $6.2 million for repairs to the CDT in the Montones neighborhood of Las Piedras. The work for this facility will address roof leaks, repairs to the lighting system, and the installation of air conditioners and acoustic ceilings, among other work.
To date, FEMA has awarded over $31 billion for nearly 10,800 Public Assistance projects aimed at rebuilding a more resilient Puerto Rico.
