Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 3:50 pm News Flash Archive

This afternoon, Greenwood Leflore Hospital circulated a press release describing in much fuller detail the sewage issues that have forced the hospital to almost completely shut down since Monday noon.

GLH describes the situation in overview as follows:

The hospital is working on a scope of work for remediation/clean-up efforts underneath the hospital structure to allow for the reopening of services.

The hospital remains on diversion, which generally means patients are waved off and directed to other facilities. Surgery, outpatient testing, and clinics located in the hospital building are all closed.

By 8:30 pm Monday, all patients had been transferred to other facilities, including UMMC Grenada, UMMC Jackson, South Sunflower, Golden Triangle. Pine Bluff, AR, Oxford, Allegiance in Greenville, and Cleveland.

The emergency room, the retail pharmacy, and Cafe Leflore are still open.

According to the hospital release:

Yesterday around 7:00 a.m. it was discovered that manholes were clogged forcing sewage into the crawl space below the hospital building. Around 10:30 a.m., the City got the sewage lines unstopped. The main plumbing sewage line blockage was identified in the main sewage line on the South side of the building between the main hospital building and Strong Avenue.

GLH has begun remediation and cleanup efforts:

Atmos Energy was here yesterday to test the air quality throughout the building, and we met air quality safety standards. Today we will have the air quality retested throughout the building.

Today we have three companies coming on site to give us quotes for remediation. We have a plumber coming in today with a camera to see if any pipes are compromised in any way. SERVPRO is currently here to remediate the elevator shafts. Plant Operations staff is also going under the building today to evaluate the situation.

The hospital has been working with the Mississippi Emergency Support Function-8 Healthcare Coalition Mississippi, the Healthcare Coalition (MEHC), the State Licensure Board, the Director of Fire Safety and Construction for the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), and Fred Randle, Director of the Greenwood-Leflore Emergency Management Agency.

The entire press release may be seen here: Sewage Line Issue at Greenwood Leflore Hospital

To review our reporting on GLH and its financial woes, please see here: Index of Greenwood Leflore Hospital news articles

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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