Three-month closure for termite infested Marigot Hospital

Wood ants infestation has shut down the Marigot Hospital
Wood ants infestation has shut down the Marigot Hospital

The Marigot Hospital will remain closed for at least three months following a severe case of termite infestation.

Health minister, Julius Timothy, said he is “a little annoyed” over the entire matter.

“Those things don’t (happen) overnight,” he said. “From there they should have informed the permanent secretary, the chief medical officer …we should have been brought up to speed on that.”

He noted that cupboards at the facility have been removed, National Pest Control has sprayed the building and the entire ceiling has to be replaced.

“A lot of work has to be done,” he said. “The Marigot Hospital will not be operational for about three months.”

The hospital has been closed for two weeks now after the discovery of the infestation by the termites, locally known as Wood Ants.

The cost of repairing the hospital has not yet been ascertained.

Chief medical officer, Dr. David Johnson, has vowed to have services restored “in the shortest possible time.”

Emergency procedures are presently being done at the Wesley Health Center and patients have been transferred to the Portsmouth Hospital.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

39 Comments

  1. Francisco Telemaque
    May 10, 2014

    “Health Minister Julius Timothy has announced that the Marigot Hospital will be remodeled into a trauma centre, the first of its kind in the country,”.

    Here we go again, more fools talk important word, which only smart people such as Timothy, and the Labor Party knows the meaning; the others of us are dumb we do not know, so we will become repetitive, repeating their crap; dancing with glee, because Marigot is going to get “trauma” centre. Sounds good, it’s dramatic, you know; such as a drama been played out on a silver screen of a movie theater, in which Timothy is the main character in the story, he listens to himself, laughs and applause his lines.

    If you do not have a trauma centre in Roseau, that is supposed to be the capital city of Dominica, how on earth, can you be such a bold face lire, to tell us you are going to convert, or make Marigot hospital into some trauma center? Man you are not only a liar, something might be wrong with you mind!

    I have a medical background, therefore I am capable of defining the term trauma to you in three medical terms; there may be other terms; nonetheless, since I am not a medical doctor by profession there may be other terms I am not familiar with. However when we speak in terms of trauma in medical terms ; we are talking about a wound or injury, especially damage produced by external force. There is also what we term birth trauma; which is an injury to an infant during the process of being born. We also know in some psychiatric theories, the psychic shock produced in an infant by the experience of been born.

    There is also something known as psychic trauma, which is emotional shock that produces an emotional, or mental disorder. So, what the hell are Timothy talking about. Are you suggesting that Marigot hospital will be equip with doctors and nurses who are trained only to treat trauma victims such as new born infants only? Are we to believe that if someone sustain trauma to their head in Grand Bay, you intend for them to go all the way to Marigot to be treated for such injury, bypassing Princes Margaret hospital which is much closer to Grand Bay?

    You thoughts, and sentiments are that of a stupid politically bankrupt politician, maybe if you were not in the habit of undermining Edison James, while you were in his government, Princes Margaret Hospital, would be better equip right now with MRI and more modern CT scan machines. More than twenty years ago there would be an intensive care unit in the Princes Margaret Hospital. A Canadian nurse trained in intensive care, was about to be hired by the UWP administration, as soon as the Labor Party siege power via the coalition, they refused to hire the lady. I will not say her name but she once lived in Dominica in that little village neat Point Michele, I met here in Canada, she entertained me at her home in Toronto, and told me the whole story. I live in Los Angeles, walking distance to Hollywood, and surrounding cities with many millions of residence, there are many hospitals, nevertheless, I have never seen one designated to treat trauma patients only. What I do know is most of these hospitals are equip with a “trauma” unit, but I do not know of any of them which treats trauma only. I can you about trauma Julius!

    Last month, one of my neices “Vava” from Wesley was viciously beaten, she sustained trauma to her head, boy! She went to Princes Margaret Hospital, I was informed no less than four times, complaining to doctors about her pain, each time they sent her home, eventually she succumb to her internal injuries, believe it or not left to me, I would sue the damn government even you, personal for medical malpractice, you all are just lucky her mother might not be interesting in fighting for her rights, what happen to that girl, I term the murder of her daughter; these are the things you who claim are head of that slaughter shop should try and correct, rather than you sit there talking crap. Boy, if Dominicans votes for you people this election, that will prove the theory that Dominica is truly cursed!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Francisco Telemaque
      May 10, 2014

      “I can you about trauma Julius!”

      I meant; I can tell you about trauma Julius!

      And while I am at it, be informed, unless there was some modern construction, conducted on the Marigot hospital less than fifty years ago, unless there was some additions, made to it the entire hospital and surrounding buildings, including the Doctor’s residence. That place is more than two hundred years old.

      If the number of years I quoted is incorrect, count it to be at least an hundred seventy-five years old, that means the entire place should be demolished! And a new modern hospital built.

      And when it is rebuilt equip it to be able to deal with and manage strokes, so that by the time you get the other one, you will not have to run to Martinique for treatment. Are you not ashamed, that you people talk so much crap, about build tourist this and that at Cane-filed, to accommodate the largest ships in the world; you are going to transform Roseau, and Portsmouth as the two most attractive city in the Caribbean.

      In spite of that as soon as you politicians have a headache, you all run out of the country to visit with doctors, while the people you are elected to serve goes into the hospitals hospitals which you manage, and die. They go in walking like my niece, and comes out foot first stiff like a piece of led pipe! You need to shut your damn mouth, and pray for a miracle that God will prevents you from having another stroke, I do not wish you a paralytic stroke, but if you continue to lie in order to get elected, that might be your punishment!

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  2. IDEAL
    May 10, 2014

    While the Labour party trying to spite Marigot people they forgot that the people from Wesley, Woodfordhill. Atkinson
    and neighbouring villages who voted for them are being punished also..Our chief medical officer is from Samsgutter
    Marigot, I wonder when was the last time he visited the hospital in Marigot..Lets hope and pray that there is no
    emergency at the airport while the hospital is closed..May God bless Dominica

  3. Anonymous
    May 10, 2014

    while trying to spite Marigot people, labour forget the people from Wesley, Woodfordhill and the Carib Territory
    who voted for them are also being punished too, lets hope and pray there is no emergency at the airport. Our chief medical officer is from Samsgutter Marigot, guess he cannot say when last he visit the hospital..this is all political

  4. messenger
    May 10, 2014

    Hon. Minister please get an appropriate buiding in Marigot to rent for emergency care, Wesley should be for every day routine care. Are we going backward, come on think fast. I am watching. So much has been done in the past on diaster management care especially where the main airport is situated and we get to this stage.
    Retired Health Care Nurse

  5. May 10, 2014

    That’s just a big joke n I think ppl lives are not taken into consideration by the responsible ppl.

  6. Nzingha
    May 10, 2014

    My position is if as Director of Primary Health Care with direct oversight for the Marigot Hospital Dr Christmas allowed this to happen there is no way he can convince us that he will perform better in an incompetent labour party cabinet where he will have no power.Dr Christmas to save his deposit should instead come clean about all the other disasters waiting to happen in the Ministry of Health that are also being neglected or being swept under the carpet. He knows about the “new hospital fiasco.”waiting to happen.

  7. Wood Anta
    May 10, 2014

    Wood ants ka twavay. I would suggest a mobile Clinic team be implemented. I think there needs to be more thought and planning into a contingency plan should there be a plane crash or some massive emergency.

  8. MM
    May 10, 2014

    Really, Marigot people here and away has being doing what ever they can to fix the hospital, because there is too much politics, they donot really care about the place, it is all about politics, the people have being crying out for help for a long time to help fix the hospital, but to no avail, so now it is falling apart, only time will tell, its all about politics, they leave people to suffer if you do not go begging, Marigoians are proud people.

  9. Marigot lady
    May 10, 2014

    Ha so if d plane dem say they not landing in marigot way papa

  10. Anthony Ismael
    May 9, 2014

    Poolbois? OMG!

  11. Anthony Ismael
    May 9, 2014

    And the airport is located in Marigot. What happens if there’s a major disaster?

  12. Expired cabinet pill
    May 9, 2014

    Three months from today will take us to August just 2 months before the elections sometime in October to November or maybe Christmas. Skerrit will never depend on Dominicans that are under fire to vote for him because somehow he knows they should not vote for him neither will they. So he can only call it at a time he expects Dominicans abroad to come down to sewo and since they not their to face the fire, hopefully they will vote for 5 more years of real hell and hardship while they run out . So prepare for October, November, December election.

  13. Expired cabinet pill
    May 9, 2014

    You mean to tell these guys don’t mind risking the lives of so many people for political mileage? Do they think everybody in Dominica foolish and can be easily fooled? Here is their game plan: In 2012 they promised to turn this same Marigot Hospital into a state of the art trauma center to serve from Portsmouth to Laplaine, and promised to start work in 2012. As everything else, except their personal wallet it failed. They have a Dr. going up for them in Marigot so they must give him something to run on, especially after paying him so much to run. So they stayed their and allowed red ants to take over the place to the point they had to run. So now they going to rush some work to so they could open just before the election to get some praise. Mark my words. That three month time frame they giving is sign that election will be just before the WCF, when they expect many of their supporters living abroad to come down to vote.

  14. May 9, 2014

    REpairing the roof etc is just part of it.The major part is destroying the nest.Wood ants come out when it rains. The nest needs to be destroyed.

  15. Rastafari
    May 9, 2014

    Stop asking God to look over and safe guard anything…he/she is not listening…there are no signs that God is listening or even paying attention to your cries…stop the begging, get up off your butts, shake a leg and make life for YOU, by you, not a God that does not care to answer anything you have to say! STOP the whining already! :lol:

  16. Belching Bubbles
    May 9, 2014

    Oh hear the cries of the people…the government fault…

    Hmm. I shall not pass blame on any ONE person as termite infestation does not happen overnight. Before the PS, CMO, the MINISTER, the GOVERNMENT (known to most of the nationals as SKERRITT) can rectify such issue, the issue has to be reported through the proper channels. We in this country feel the need to blame the next person when something doesn’t happen in the country.
    Things are falling apart in education, health/medical, social AND political sectors of this country all because we as a people, with all the advances in technology, refuse to do our own research on matters, or even ‘be our brother’s keeper’ (because we are not getting paid for such brotherhood. Volunteerism is gone. Neighborly mentality – gone. Social skills – long gone!

    WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START TAKING THE STEPS NECESSARY TO BUILD THIS COUNTRY- DOMINICA?!

    We constantly lament that Labour Party ministers are only about money and power….what else do we expect from politicians?! They are marketers in their own right and marketers look to get the product out and money in!

    RED – BLUE- GREEN -YELLOW….. No matter colour or affiliation —> ALL politicians at some point look for their benefit….Don’t you?

    • kubuli
      May 9, 2014

      Amen to that! Wish I could officially shake your hand.

    • Peaceful
      May 10, 2014

      nonesense. if the relevant authorities were doing their work then it would have been discovered earlier or it would not have happened if regular maintenance was done. this is how it is done in any civilized world. let me give u an anology. it may seem unrelated put i pray you get the point. i have an uncle who works in a hotel as chief constructor and maintenance. he explained to me that they are always busy during the tourists season but they are even busier when the season closes checking everthing so that everything is in order for next tourist season. the hospital was neglected by the relevant authorities and thats that. :?:

      • Belching Bubbles
        May 12, 2014

        So your case in point is that anything that has to be done about anything is the responsibility of an authority?
        I can understand that…but you do realize that in order for the authority to be able to be aware of the situation and act accordingly, said authority first has to be informed? And don’t come with that crap that it’s a hospital they should know…or worse yet because it’s in Marigot.

        Authority (according to Merriam-Webster) is the power to give orders or make decisions : the power or right to direct or control someone or something.

        The competent authority to report such an occurrence (to the government etc) would maybe be the ones who are employed within the establishment itself…such as Matron, or maybe a District Medical Officer.
        So peaceful you are quite right in that the the hospital was neglected by the relevant authorities. . . glad you realized that. And not that it’s the fault of the government or the CMO

  17. Anonymous
    May 9, 2014

    The incompetence of this Labour administration appears to have no limits. It’s frightening! How could the Dominican electorate allow this lot to drag the country down for 15 years and counting. Worse even, the true damage they have done to the country will only be revealed until they are finally voted out of office. God help us.

  18. builder
    May 9, 2014

    a small place like dominca with so much segregation,everyday people are travelling and all of allu have to pass thru marigot,so jst pray dat nothing happeans to any of you’ll…cause that hospital serves da entire country…

  19. sugarcane
    May 9, 2014

    magwaysa, the Director of Primary Health Care , the now Acting Director of Primary Heath Care, the Chief Medical Officer, the Coordinator of Health Promotion from Marigot, The Consultant Psychiatrist from the neighbouring community of Wesley and they allow that to happen. Lord watch over your people and keep them safe. Christmas will get it this election. I hope his back broad.

  20. Anonymous
    May 9, 2014

    This is unacceptable…how did the government allow it to reach this far…SHAME

    • Anonymous
      May 9, 2014

      Your ignorance amazes me…what is the whole point of having a director or manager… Everything is the government..smh

      • There You Have It
        May 11, 2014

        So, where does the buck stop :?:

  21. Shame...Shame
    May 9, 2014

    This is totally unacceptable because termite infeststion take time to spread….How can the Ministry of Health threaten the lives of so many villagers stretching form Calibishie to Carib Territory? Mr. Minister, we are poor people who cannot afford to me medi-vaced to Martinique …but we deserve basic Health Care…This is a shame on the Minister, Permanent Secretary and Chief Medial Officer (a Marigotian). All of you should resign. God forbid a MAJOR accident takes place at the airport tomorrow….
    I hear that the Labour representative is a high level doctor also. …You all just interested in POWER and don’t care about basic needs of people….

  22. May 9, 2014

    labor is working .u know why they are fixing the hospital because a dOCTOR will be there chose of candidate for the next election …..after the DOCTOR visited the place he saw what was there he tell me go and fix it before i go up for u all .cannot represent my people with a hospital in this condition i am a DOCTOR u know not a kakarat or a kool bois….i have my degree

  23. Oh No
    May 9, 2014

    That’s called gross incompetence. Heads of departments including responsible ministers should be made to resign when such preventable incidents could be avoided. But this is Dominica where any thing goes. Where are the maintenance people? There should be periodic checks done to avert such occurrences. That’s shameful. The unfortunate thing is so much emphasis is placed on this presidential palace and where it matters most, that is, in the daily lives of the people there is lacknof attention. Where are the custodians of the people? Where are they? It is now going to cost the government more money, the patients and their families more money, confidence in the system and those who manage the health care system is going to be negatively affected.

    • atr72
      May 11, 2014

      Marigot is not the only place nuh Well all you need to go to the PMH especially the maternity section to see the ceiling falling apart – can you imagine the mole, and termites that can be among people /young mothers about to make babies in such conditions. shame

  24. Anonymous
    May 9, 2014

    The CMO if from Marigot and should have been petitioning for upgrades to the hospital on a regular basis. What is his role in this?
    Major suburban and rural areas should be equipped with these facilities due to the neighboring ports and attractions. Please make this a priority and we will see what we can do.

  25. Not Me Alone
    May 9, 2014

    Health minister, Julius Timothy, said he is “a little annoyed” over the entire matter.

    “Those things don’t have overnight,” he said. “From there they should have informed the permanent secretary, the chief medical officer …we should have been brought up to speed on that

    My very good friend Tim Tim, I know you had serious medical challenges not too long ago, but it seems to me you are still suffering from the effects of it and as a friend, you need to look out for yourself and call it a day.

    TimTim, you said you are annoyed because it did not happen overnight and the PS and CMO should have been informed? Who was supposed to have reported that to you all? TimTim, isn’t Dr. Martin Christopher the resident doctor? You mean to tell me he never observed that? He never reported that? If the answer is no, then why should a voter cast one vote on a DLP, Dr. Martin ballot? If the man could not see eminent danger right on his job place, why should Marigotians expect him to take care of the entire community? TimTim, that’s another reason why you should resign because according to Skerrit, in a normal country that would not happen. In a normal country the minister, the PS, the CMO and the resident doctor would be fired by the PM and come election day, the voters would fire the PM and his cabal team.

  26. i must speak
    May 9, 2014

    this is just so ridiculous!
    if there is a medical emergency at the airport or any of the surrounding areas is the Wesley Health Centre equipped to deal with it?

    these are the pressing questions that we need to be answered mr Timothy. alot could happen in three months

  27. ALL FOOLS DAY jokers
    May 9, 2014

    “The cost of repairing the hospital has not yet been ascertained.” Hahahaha. These jokers just making me laugh. Before Timothy tells us anything about the cost he needs to clear the air on this:

    Marigot Hospital to become trauma centre
    Dominica News Online – Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    Health Minister Julius Timothy has announced that the Marigot Hospital will be remodeled into a trauma centre, the first of its kind in the country, to facilitate residents from Portsmouth to Delices.

    There have been several calls to upgrade the Marigot hospital which is located in the vicinity of the Melville Hall airport.

    According to the health minister the concept and designs for the Trauma centre are being finalized, with construction scheduled to begin next year.
    Tim Tim, we are in 2014 now and you talking about wood ants?

  28. ?
    May 9, 2014

    Are the Marigot people deliberately denied government services just because the Parliamentary Representative Edison James is a member of the United Workers Party?
    The Chief medical officer, the permanent Secretary and especially the Health minister Julius Timothy are to be blamed.
    Timothy himself had to seek medical help overseas recently……..
    DLP cannot talk about pride in country and people after 14 years in office.

    • !!!
      May 9, 2014

      Well is not Marigot people alone they spiting…is the whole north-east…

  29. Reason
    May 9, 2014

    That is pure a…ness. This is deplorable.

  30. wooshhh
    May 9, 2014

    #LabourKaTwavay….. so why allu make poolbois eat the hospital for? #labour-par-ka-twavay then? Tim Tim make the hospital close for 3 months under his watch?

    Its about time people in Dominica be taught to take responsibility for their actions – these incidents of termite infestation must have been reported at some point…

    This hospital serves several communities in that area and should be updated and kept up to date at all times.

    How can a hospital be closed, under your watch for termite infestation????? only in Dominica, you just cant make these things up!!! Disappointed in the people who manage that hospital and the minister who is responsible for the health ministry.

  31. ohhhh
    May 9, 2014

    So wood ants eat all the meds in the hospital (they were running out of medication for a while before).. no more meds, they start eating the building (#Labourkaytwavay) and the minister is only a ‘little annoyed’????? Trivialising peoples health? and even passing the blame bucket?

    How often did he visit the hospital or get reports from there?

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available