DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A pipe break at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center on Thanksgiving has caused enough damage to close down multiple units and departments at the facility.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that the pipe break had caused water damage in critical areas, leading to several parts of the medical center temporarily shutting down while repairs are underway.
According to the VA, patients in the facility and under care in impacted areas were moved to other parts of the medical center.
We’re breaking down more of what this could mean for veterans in the coming months, for WSB Tonight at 11 p.m.
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A VA spokeswoman said in a statement to Channel 2 Action News that the impacted areas included the intensive care unit.
“The affected areas include the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Radiology, Intervention Radiology, and Pulmonary departments. An interdisciplinary team of experts from the Atlanta VA Health Care System took immediate action to assess and address the impact on our operations and, most importantly, on the care we provide to our Veterans and the safety of our employees,” the VA said in a statement.
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According to officials, the Radiology department is expected to reopen this month, while it’ll take more time for other units that were affected.
The “MICU, Pulmonary, and remaining Radiology sections requiring more extensive work are anticipated to take a bit longer. During this time, we are committed to continued quality and timely care to our Veterans,” the VA continued.
In the meantime, officials said their staff are “working tirelessly to expedite any necessary infrastructure remedies to ensure all areas are safe for patients and staff to access,” but that entry to the areas affected is currently limited to authorized personnel and contractors only.
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