HEALTH Minister Renward Wells said building work in the maternity ward at Princess Margaret Hospital has now been completed after a social media post went viral this weekend, showing unsanitary conditions.

Photos showing missing ceiling tiles and mould on the hospital’s ceiling were widely circulated on social media, sparking public outrage.

“I am not pleased at all. Am I dog or Bahamian... in my own country,” said one maternity patient who posted the images on Facebook.

“I just have baby and (must) place her with all this (mould) and I can’t even breathe through this. The water leaking from the roof. The bathroom (mould) over the toilet.”

This maternity ward is no joke, plus no damn ac (sic).”

Similar comments were posted online by Bahamian mothers, who cried shame on the government for allowing patients to experience childbirth under such deplorable conditions.

When asked to respond to the patients’ concerns yesterday, Mr Wells told reporters outside Cabinet: “The reality is I understand that the project was supposed to have already been brought to completion. It was some work that was identified about two weeks ago and the work is now completed.”

In a statement, the Public Hospitals Authority and Princess Margaret Hospital apologised for the conditions depicted in the photographs.

“The hospital wishes to apologise for the concerns raised regarding the environment pictured in the social media post and is pleased to advise that the corrective works have now been completed,” PHA said.

“PMH has taken additional action to ensure that messaging, signage, and protective barriers are implemented whenever corrective work or refurbishment projects are being carried out, in keeping with standard operating procedures.

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