Carnival funds hurricane repairs to Freeport’s primary hospital

The facility sustained significant damage from Hurricane Dorian in September.

The goal is returning Rand Memorial Hospital to a safe and healthy environment for patients and medical professionals by the end of March.

Facilty repairs, medical equipment, a kitchen

The project comprises remediation and basic repairs to the facility, and replacing damaged medical equipment.

Additionally, the hospital's kitchen suffered damage, so the restoration project is expected to include the completion of a new kitchen that was partially built prior to the storm. This will be able to provide meals for patients and staff once the hospital officially reopens.

Working with a project coordinator who will have day-to-day oversight of all elements of the project, Carnival Corp. and the government of the Bahamas will coordinate with partners in support of the restoration efforts, including Direct Relief, an international relief organization that provides critical medications and supplies during emergencies; World Central Kitchen, a food relief organization that serves meals to local communities following a crisis; Grand Bahama Shipyard and the University of Miami, among others.

Daily meals during the restoration process

Also, during the restoration process, Carnival Corp. will support World Central Kitchen's continued provisioning of daily meals for patients and staff as part of an ongoing partnership following the storm.

Sharon Williams, administrator for Grand Bahama Health Services, the local healthcare system that includes Rand Memorial Hospital, expressed appreciation to the emergency response team from Carnival Corp. and its partners for working together to restore the facilty as quickly as possible.

Crucial to Grand Bahama's rebuilding

‘This restoration project is crucial for the health needs of residents, while also supporting the longer-term vitality of the community and is indicative of the rebuilding progress on the island,’ said Marie McKenzie, VP global ports and Caribbean government relations for Carnival Corp.

The Rand Memorial Hospital restoration efforts outlined in today's MOU are part of a significant donation from Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corp.; the company's cruise line brands and its passengers and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation to provide funding and in-kind support to help overall hurricane recovery efforts in the Bahamas.