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Health centers share $3.2M for coronavirus efforts

Local hospitals still shuttered

MARTINS FERRY — Ohio Hills Health Services of Barnesville is among 51 community health centers that will share in $3.2 million in funding to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, city officials in Martins Ferry still are trying to get their hospital reopened since its closure last year.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, made the funding announcement recently, noting the money was part of a package passed by Congress this month.

“Ohio community health centers and healthcare workers are on the frontlines of this pandemic, and we need to ensure they have the resources they need to keep Ohioans healthy and safe,” Brown said. “This funding is a good first step, but as I continue talking to health care workers across the state, I know more needs to be done. I’m committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to get our health officials the support and supplies that they need, and to ensuring a long-term funding solution for community health centers.”

City leaders in Martins Ferry still are trying to get East Ohio Regional Hospital reopened not only because of this current coronavirus pandemic, but because the facility is needed by the community year-round.

EORH was closed last fall by Alecto Healthcare Services, which also closed its sister facility, Ohio Valley Medical Center, in Wheeling last year.

Mayor John Davies said in a previous report that contacting local and state leaders about getting EORH is a daily occurrence for him and his Service Director Andy Sutak. One of the officials he has reached out to for help includes Brown.

Brown’s office said it has kept in contact with Davies about the situation.

“Sen. Brown’s staff has reached out to Mayor Davies to talk about concerns about coronavirus and keeping Ohioans healthy and safe, including concerns about the hospital. Brown’s office remains ready to provide assistance, if possible. For now, Sen. Brown is deferring to local efforts but stands ready to provide assistance, if possible,” according to a statement from Brown’s office.

In Wheeling, Mayor Glenn Elliott recently toured the shuttered OVMC building with permission from the property owner, MPT of Alabama.

The first tour was with local emergency management officials during which equipment, such as respirators, and protective gear were found. EMA officials said the masks and gowns could be used in the future by first responders in the county as needed.

The second tour was planned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials who want to determine if the facility could be used as part of a regional backup plan as the number of coronavirus cases increases.

The Ohio Valley is not the only place trying to get recently-closed hospitals re-opened to deal with the pandemic. According to published reports, the city of Philadelphia tried to buy a closed hospital to prepare for a surge of pandemic patients. The owner of that facility also offered to lease it, but the asking price of $1 million per month was too steep. That city now is being given free access to use facilities at Temple University instead.

Eric Ayres contributed to this report.

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