Video: Winston Medical Center Update

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LOUISVILLE, Miss.(WCBI)– Winston County supervisors are still formulating plans, and have preliminary designs for building a new hospital to replace the original which was destroyed by the April 28 tornado.

Temporary facilities just off Church Avenue in Louisville are currently in use, but county officials are bracing for upcoming months.

The temporary home for Winston Medical Center has served the community and medical personnel well, but in coming months a few physical changes must take place at the Louisville location.

“The winter months and the rain, and there is a problem with accessing building to building and some of those facilities down there are actually tents,” Winston County Supervisor Mike Peterson said.

Accommodations there will be used while major construction takes place elsewhere, possibly at the original Hwy 14 location. That’s highly possible, but not definite. Supervisors met with Winston Medical Center CEO Paul Black to discuss how the interim medical units can be made sturdier.

“Because we are looking at using his facility for a couple of years at least,” Peterson said. “So, kind of hardening the facility that we have is what we are looking at doing right now. Just for the moment.”

Supervisors are promising a return of a sturdy permanent medical center that all can be proud of. But until then, they are strengthening what they already have.

“We are just upgrading the temporary facility that we have,” Peterson said.

Construction of the new hospital is being considered a major project.