Relatives complain about bedbug infestation at Fiennes as the Healthcare Facilities Act is set to be debated in Parliament

Even as protesting officers complain bitterly about the vermin plaguing His Majesty’s Prison on Coronation Road, bedbugs reportedly have infested the Fiennes Institute, as well.

On Monday, during protest action outside the Prison’s walls, a female officer reported that staff are leaving the compound with bedbugs attached to their clothing.

Today, Tuesday, family members tell REAL News that their elderly relatives at Fiennes are similarly afflicted, and they are calling for an investigation into the situation.  

“Too many roaches and bedbugs there.  Roaches crawling on the patients, especially those that are bedridden,” a regular visitor claims.  

Another person acknowledges that “the maids do clean the floors;” however, she alleges that “the walls in the rooms are deplorable, with marks either from crushed roaches and bedbugs or from dirt, and even cobwebs are seen in some of the rooms.”

In the interest of the patients, their family, and the Institute’s staff, the woman is asking that the Central Board of Health undertake extermination of the premises, at least on a quarterly basis.

Additionally, she recommends that “proper trained personnel with a housekeeping background” should be engaged to carry out regular but random inspection of the rooms.

This Thursday, October 20, the House of Representatives is reportedly set to debate The Healthcare Facilities Act, 2022, a Bill that, in its original composition, sparked outrage among residents.

While the matter had been listed on the Order Paper for all three readings last week, the Bill was not included in Members’ packages, according to the Leader of the Opposition, and the sitting of the Lower House was postponed.  

Originally, the Bill authorized the Minister of Health to take control of healthcare facilities that, in his opinion, fell below acceptable standards of care; to empower persons as agents and “inspectors” of medical facilities; and to gain access to residents’ medical records.

At the time, Minister Molwyn Joseph denied knowledge of such contents of the legislation.  

Now, residents who were spooked by the first draft of the Bill say they are waiting with bated breath to learn its content this time around, and they promise to resist any attempts to invade their privacy.

Meanwhile, the authorities have been aware of the severe infestation of bedbugs, flies, roaches, and rats at the Prison for several months now.  

Insiders told REAL News that exterminators had, indeed, been consulted, and said the entire compound would need to be vacated first.  The challenge, however, was finding facilities to which the population of inmates could be relocated temporarily while the Prison was treated.