San Juan, Puerto Rico - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allocated $151.6 million to El Maestro Hospital, institution that has served the communities of San Juan since 1960, for permanent work on its structure due to damage following the impact of Hurricane María.
Following the award, the hospital will be able to address repairs that include the installation of a central air conditioning system for the entire building. They will also replace parts of the infrastructure and electrical equipment, remedy mold problems, repair the stucco and paint the structure.
The award includes nearly $6.2 million to prevent similar damage from future weather events. Among the measures, the roof slope will be corrected to improve drainage; and windows and doors will be replaced with high-impact resistant units.
“Hospital institutions are part of the country's essential services, especially during emergency season. This award to the El Maestro Hospital will support a strengthened and suitable infrastructure that will sustain the work of health professionals and the medical services that have been offered here for over 60 years," said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José G. Baquero.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s executive director, Yarimir Rodríguez Díaz, explained that the institution is located in an extremely privileged area, since it is in the center of Hato Rey, next to Las Américas highway and shopping malls. The residents of around six neighboring homes for the elderly - such as Égida del Maestro, La Merced, Perpetuo Socorro and Égida de los Abogados - also benefit from the services of the medical institution.
El Maestro Hospital treats patients requiring hospitalization and outpatient care; it has a pediatric and adult emergency room, and an operating room for general and orthopedic surgery. Other services include oncology, urology, gastroenterology, physical and respiratory therapy, laboratory, imaging center and biopsy center.
The institution has approximately 300 employees and has an impact on some 150 indirect jobs, which does not include its suppliers and service providers, according to the executive director.
“El Maestro Hospital is a community hospital, so it would have been very difficult for us to get those funds to make the improvements that our patients and visitors need. All these improvements we are making will definitely result in a safer service. With the service we offer, which is a quality service that distinguishes us, patients will feel much more comfortable coming to Hospital del Maestro," said Rodríguez Díaz.
To date, FEMA has awarded nearly $30.7 billion for over 10,700 Public Assistance projects aimed at rebuilding a more resilient Puerto Rico.
For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339, fema.gov/disaster/4473 and recovery.pr. Follow us on our social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency