Congress

Vieques Still Has No Hospital. Democrats Demand Answers From FEMA.

There are only a handful of health specialists and services available on the Puerto Rican island

It's been almost two years since Hurricane Maria shuttered the hospital on the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques, yet the Federal Emergency Management Agency has no concrete plans to rebuild it, NBC News reported.

Democrats on Wednesday demanded answers from FEMA's acting administrator, giving him a few weeks to explain to Congress why "U.S. citizens still cannot access comprehensive medical care" on Vieques.

The lawmakers' letter refers to a 64-year-old cancer patient who waited 32 hours on the island of 9,000 people to make sure she had a spot on a ferry to the mainland so she could reach a doctor in the capital of San Juan.

There are only a handful of health specialists and services available on the island. Viequans converted their only emergency shelter building into a public community health center, according to Elda Carrasquillo, who coordinates health workshops in Vieques through the organization Taller Salud.

Contact Us