Public hospitals in New Orleans to be condemned

[struggle4progress]

By Susannah A. Nesmith

KNIGHT RIDDER

NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans' two public hospitals will have to be condemned, according to Don Smithburg, who runs the state's public hospital system.

That decision will prevent the reopening of the city's only trauma units capable of handling the most serious car accidents, gunshot wounds or construction mishaps that any city is bound to have.

Charity and University hospitals were also the backbone of the state's public hospital system and of the medical schools in New Orleans.

"We're still taking on water at both hospitals," Smithburg said Thursday. "We don't know if the water table is rising or what, but water is still seeping -- no, not seeping, pouring -- into the basements." <snip>

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/12721303.htm

[Erika]

1. This is so sad. Charity Hospital was admired by all

for its heart and its superior capabilities. The doctors fought there until the end. Their hearts must be breaking.

[barb162]

2. terrible...is there hope for that city?

[gristy]

3. No

New Orleans is lost.

[darkism]

8. Give me an effing break.

New Orleans is not "lost." What do you think, they're just going to abandon it?

Ridiculous. Is pessimism the new "in" thing on DU?

[gristy]

10. It will not be rebuilt in any form resembling its past glory

Not in my lifetime. I do not know what this "thing" on DU is of which you speak.

[Erika]

4. I don't know any more

I heard on MSNBC tonight that the sections in the levees that broke again were over the poor sections of town. The fixes on the levees protecting the upper class held according to the Corp of Engineers. MSNBC brought up agian that it is the poor who is hurt the worst.

[RC]

5. Imangine that.

The fixes in the rich part held while in the part of town they did not.

[rodeodance]

7. it is hard to get public hospitals rebuilt. Prob. will go private which

will be terrible for the "public'!!

[Dover]

6. I love New Orleans and the Gulf Coast BUT if global warming

is, in fact, creating bigger and bigger storms and natural disasters for the foreseeable future, then it makes no sense to rebuild in these areas. Heck, New Orleans has always been in a naturally vulnerable location anyway.

I know that when Mississippi flooding caused continual destruction all along its banks (which regularly flooded as its natural cycle), insurance companies quite necessarily refused to cover the properties in these areas and the gov. began buying out the owners and 'giving' the land back to the river. Our native ancestors wisely utilized these natural ebbs and flows which brought fertility to the ever changing landscape, but they were more nomadic.

So a new relationship with Mother Nature needs to develop that is more cooperative and in keeping with her natural cycles. Hey, any man OR woman can tell you that! When she has PMS it can be lethal.

[BrightKnight]

9. Chicago Flood and Fort Worth tornado

The basements of many of the buildings in Chicago flooded but they did not condemn the buildings.

A tornado with much stronger winds hit a building in Fort Worth and it was not condemned. I imagine that New Orleans has stronger building codes that Fort Worth.

Much of the Holland is below sea level. Many of our port and coastal cities are threatened by hurricanes.

There is no reason why the level of the lowest areas of New Orleans could not be raised. Parts of Galveston. were raised after it suffered a major hurricane.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

11. my mom taught at Charity School of Nursing for 25 yrs.--She'll be sad

Hope these Republikkans do not succeed in removing all services for the underprivileged.

[lavenderdiva]

12. I am originally from New Orleans, and lived there for over 30 years...

Charity Hospital was a mainstay for healthcare for many, many people in New Orleans. Also, many emergency physicians did their residencies at Charity Hospital, as it was known for seeing many unusual emergency situations, that one does not normally see in routine hospitals. Many medical students desired to do their residencies there, hoping for a chance to have the unique experiences that Charity offered.

Also, it served as the LSU medical school teaching school. Both of my parents donated their bodies to the LSU medical school, and after their deaths were used as a part of the teaching program there.

This is very sad news indeed...

[lavenderdiva]

13. Can't read the article, as it makes you give all sorts of personal info

to sign up...

edit: here's a direct link to the article:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/09/23/2_hospitals_likely_to_be_condemned_official_says/

[Dark]

14. Oh, god. They're still talking about rebuilding New Orleans in the same

damn SPOT!

God dammit.

[Gin]

15. My personal thought upon reading that...is...they will be replaced by

"for profit" hospitals....and it's just another gimme to the corporations.