Mould fix at hospital cost $29K
Renovations in pediatrics unit uncovered issue last fall
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, February 5, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mould found in the pediatrics unit at Stanton Territorial Hospital last fall cost more than $29,500 to fix, documents obtained by Yellowknifer through an access-to-information request show.
In November, part of the unit that cares for children was sealed off for paint and plaster work when mould was found behind a baseboard, according to the documents. Hospital employees initially thought it could be black mould, Yellowknifer learned, which can be toxic and found in moisture-damaged buildings.
As work began in one room, "we found our favourite black stuff (I won't say the 'M' word)," Heather Warner, the manager of maternal child services, wrote in a Nov. 2 e-mail obtained as part of the request.
It turned out not to be black mould, wrote Brianne Timpson, manager of quality and risk assessment with Stanton Territorial Health Authority, in a Jan. 18 letter responding to the access-to-information request.
The documents show the authority hired a contractor to address the mould, which cost $29,566, and the work took about a week or two.
Because it happened while maintenance was underway in a cordoned off area, it didn't affect the unit, Stanton Territorial Health Authority CEO Sue Cullen told Yellowknifer this week.
"We have really rigorous standards that we follow," she said about the infection controls used by the hospital.
Cullen, who started as interim-CEO of the hospital authority in September, said she's not aware of any other mould issues at the hospital.
Health and Social Services Minister Glen Abernethy previously said he wasn't aware of any black mould issues at Stanton.
There had some black mould around an elevator, but that was several years ago and was fixed, Abernethy said.
"I'm not aware of a widespread black mould problem in that facility," Abernethy said Nov. 23, shortly after winning re-election.
Dr. Andre Corriveau, NWT's chief public health officer, said this week mould is relatively common. If you have a potted plant in your apartment, there's mould there, he said, adding mould found in a building generally indicates water or moisture issues.
"You wouldn't want to see it in a hospital," Corriveau said.
He said some people are allergic to mould, triggering reactions like rashes or breathing issues.
"If the child's not allergic, if no one is allergic, it wouldn't have mattered," he said when asked about whether there are health risks associated with the mould in the pediatric units.
It's not clear what caused the mould, Cullen said.
- with files from John McFadden
