Press Release #7                   

Updated: Tuesday, April 09, 2002

Medical facilities built for detainees

     U.S. NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA - In response to health concerns about the detainees at Camp X-Ray, Navy service members began construction here this week of a temporary medical facility capable of providing medical attention that ranges from dental exams to major surgery.

     The construction of the hospital required over 180 people in conjunction with Navy Fleet Hospital 20 from Camp Lejeune, N.C. Initially, it took 17 Navy builders from Construction Battalion 423, commonly known as "the Seabees," to clear and prepare the land for the hospital. This took over three days of intense 24-hour operations beginning January 18. Tents went up in one day and the International Standards Organization (ISO) containers were unpacked, expanded and organized into rooms and storage areas fit for labs, washrooms and examination rooms.

     According to the fleet hospital executive officer, Navy Commander Kevin L. Gallagher, no detainees will receive medical care outside of Cuba. If a specialist is required, he will be brought into the hospital.

     "There is a regular plan set to screen for diseases as the detainees arrive. Any test that’s indicated we have the capability to do, or we can send off for it," said Gallagher. "This is a complete hospital, so we have top of the line lab equipment, respirators, ICU (intensive care unit) equipment, OR (operating room) equipment, anesthesia machines… this is fully capable."

     The hospital is also large enough to take on the task ahead.

     "It takes up approximately 1½ acres. It has a 36-bed capacity. Due to security we are redesigning the hospital as we go. This hospital has never been designed to work with detainees, so it’s one of the things you have to adjust to as we go along," said Navy Builder Chief Will Clarke, Construction Battalion 423.

     Joel Moore, with the Fleet Hospital Assistance Team (FHAT) represents the fleet hospital support office. His office designs and packs the hospital into the ISOs and sends a technical representative during construction. If there is a problem with the construction or utilities, they try to resolve the problem. He has been in the design department of the fleet hospital for eight years.

     "In this particular hospital, it will have three wings: It will have a pharmacy, a lab, an x-ray, and mobile utility modules, (which is like a head facility)," said Moore. "The second wing is a medical suite which has the casualty receiving and operating room. The third wing is an intensive care unit wing."

     This hospital will give the detainees the same care that we would give our own troops, he said.

     Water is provided through one 1500-gallon portable tank and four 2000-gallon water bladders. Wastewater is stored in two other specialized ISO containers. Power is currently provided through generators, but there is a plan to hook up shore power and use the generators as backups. In addition, laundry facilities for hospital linens will be on site according to Clarke.

     The 24-hour facility will have security measures in place, with two military police accompanying each detainee to the hospital and remaining there with him.

     The majority of the hospital staff is from fleet hospital Camp Lejeune. There is also staff participating from all over the nation.

     "It’s always neat to see something that you’ve put on paper for two or three years actually go up and go operational," Moore said.

     The workload of the staff will depend on the health condition of the detainees and what their needs are, which will not be known until they arrive at the hospital.

     The hospital is scheduled to be here as long as medical facilities are needed.

     "The commander in chief requested that we treat these detainees and give them top of the line medical care and we’re proud to do that," Gallagher said.