World News – US – Rural Georgia hospital closes after more than 70 years

Rural community hospital hit hard by coronavirus pandemic closed after more than 70 years in southwest Georgia

WALB-TV reported that residents and workers gathered in Cuthbert for a farewell ceremony at Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center, which had been operating in Randolph County since 1947 and closed on Thursday

« They have been very loyal to this institution and through no fault of their own they have been affected by COVID and the change in medical services, » said Mayor Steve Whatley

The hospital’s financial woes were made worse by the pandemic, which forced many patients to delay or cancel elective procedures Workers wearing face masks stood outside the hospital as a speaker was talking about the closure

Dr UNE S Ghiathi, director of emergency medicine at the hospital, said the loss of the facility was difficult to understand

« This hospital has been a lifeline for the community I think most people still don’t realize what they’ve lost I think the void that’s going to be created from the point of view, number one, jobs that have been created, and number two, the amount of money people spend here, and the tax creation for the county It’s all going to be felt « says Ghiathi

The University of North Carolina’s Rural Health Research Program says the medical center is the 16th rural hospital to close nationwide this year Closest hospital to Cuthbert is over 20 miles away

Plans to continue emergency care in the rural county could be announced as early as next week

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