Accident at COVID-19 hospital: Worker nursing severe head injuries, colleague released

Alexander Rojas, a construction worker is hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital with severe head injuries after a shed collapsed on him and another co-worker during works at Guyana’s world class COVID-19 hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara Tuesday morning.

His colleague, Deodat Persaud was treated and sent away for minor injuries at a private hospital in the city.

The News Room understands that Rojas’ wife is also hospitalised at the Georgetown Hospital after recently giving birth.

The men are employed with Ivor Allen Construction – one of the companies working on the Infectious Disease Hospital, which is currently under renovations.

Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Public Health, Terrence Esseboom had previously told the News Room that the shed was being demolished at the time of the incident.

It was being used as a shelter and a place for the workers to have lunch, but since the construction works are almost complete it was being dismantled.

The News Room understands that Persaud and Rojas were under the shed at the time when it collapsed. Esseboom explained that heavy winds caused the roof of the shed to collapse on the men.

Persaud has been working with the company since 1978 while Rojas recently joined the company.

Retrofitting of the Liliendall facility that once operated as the Ocean View Hotel started sometime in April this year and once completed will be well-positioned to control other respiratory and multi-resistance forms of infections as well as all categories of COVID-19 patients.

The cost for retrofitting the facility was pegged at GY $1 billion.