BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has closed its main operating theatres after persistent water condensation and air-conditioning failures created what officials described as an ongoing safety risk.
In an internal memo dated January 22, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital management confirmed that operating theatres two, three, four, and five within the main surgical suite remain closed due to water buildup in ceiling areas. The issue has been linked to long-standing and recurrent air-conditioning failures.
Hospital officials said the Air Conditioning Department and engineering teams are carrying out urgent remedial works. While no definitive timeline has been provided, administrators indicated there is hope the problems could be resolved by the end of next week.
Until repairs are fully completed and safety conditions restored, interim emergency operating arrangements have been put in place following consultations with the Director of Medical Services.
One operating theatre within the Obstetrics suite has been reserved exclusively for emergency cases. Two additional theatres are being made available for urgent surgeries under strict conditions.
The second Obstetrics theatre will be used for short urgent procedures requiring general or local anesthesia, with the aim of preserving immediate access to emergency care. The Cardiac Suite will be utilized for intermediate or longer urgent cases and may also accommodate shorter procedures where anesthesia is required.
Hospital administrators also outlined new operational rules designed to maintain efficiency and patient safety during the disruption.
Urgent operating lists must now be finalized and concluded by 5 p.m. The first patient must be present in the theatre by 7:30 a.m. to allow knife-to-skin procedures to begin at 8 a.m. Senior surgeons have been advised to be present for all procedures where possible.
The Chief General Surgical Resident will coordinate daily operating lists after reviewing urgent cases from the departments of Otolaryngology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, and Anesthesia.
All daily theatre lists must be prepared and submitted by noon on the preceding day to allow adequate preparation and coordination by anesthesia staff, theatre managers, and nursing teams.
Hospital management said the temporary arrangements will be reviewed daily and amended as required while repair works continue.
The memo was issued by Dr Roy Forde, chair of the Operational Theatre and Strategic Theatre Committee, and endorsed by Dr Carlos A. Chase, Director of Medical Services.
