Intensive care unit of Helsinki Children's Hospital to move for repair of water damage
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The intensive care unit of the Helsinki Children's Hospital in Meilahti will be temporarily moved for the repair of water damage in the ceiling structures.
Dampness in the ceiling has been blamed for allergic symptoms among staff. Paula Rautiainen, head physician of the ICU describes the situation as intolerable.
She said that more than half of the 70 employees have stated in writing that they suffer from symptoms including headache, watery eyes and runny nose, as well as dry skin and asthma.
No solid link between the water damage and the symptoms has been established, but Rautiainen says that many staff members have taken sick leave for the symptoms, which sometimes returned immediately when they came back to work.
No symptoms have been shown by the patients so far. "This is intensive care. People are here for short periods of time", Rautiainen explains.
Many of the nurses interviewed nevertheless say that they are worried about the effects on the health of newborn babies.
Paediatrician Eero Jokinen is also concerned about the situation. He says that there is water damage at the ICU for newborns in another wing of the building. "The situation is a time bomb. As soon as one part is fixed, the other has to be repaired."
The water damage has a number of causes, including the roof of the building that was built during the war years, which is prone to leaks.
The stopgap solution is a transfer of the intensive care unit to areas now occupied by the surgical unit. The surgical unit, meanwhile, is to spread into old office space.
Scheduled repairs will give the Children's Hospital a completely new intensive care unit and new operating rooms. The project will not be ready until 2010.
No fungus spores have been found in the air of the ICU. Damp structures have been dried whenever dampness has been found.
"There are more spores in the air outdoors", says administrator Christer Holmberg. He also denies that there would be water damage at the intensive care unit for newborns.
Holmberg also downplays the seriousness of the symptoms suffered by the staff. "A few have been moved from the ICU to work elsewhere. Some people are more sensitive than others."
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 26.3.2008 - TODAY |
 Intensive care unit of Helsinki Children's Hospital to move for repair of water damage |
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