The March to DC Begins | Eastern North Carolina Now

    This morning a crowd gathered to see the Mayor of Belhaven and his entourage off to Washington, DC. There were some 100 people gathered on the waterfront and across from the closed Belhaven Hospital.

    Many of the same speakers from the Mayor to NAACP head were present to present their concerns:

      •  Declining Rural Health Care for Hyde and eastern Beaufort counties

      •  One lady dead from the delays getting her to the hospital in Greenville

      •  Surrounding Health Clinics being overrun with patients

      •  Whether the current hospital building should be salvaged or razed

      •  Meanwhile Vidant is constructing a new Clinic next door to the Food Lion complex

    Hood Richardson was the only Beaufort County Commissioner present and his concerns are valid. All the media nearby were recording the event and will report soon. Dr. Boyette brought a down-to-earth talk about the continued problems with no relief in sight.

    I spoke with Dr. Boyette after the formal meeting ushered the marchers, led by a Scotch piper and drum, as they got on the road.

    Here are his concerns:

      •  An expensive facility which has no future sale value outside renovation

      •  Some 4 temporary Clinics overrun with patients

      •  Those run by Vidant are seeing 1.5 patients an hour so you do the math over efficiency

      •  Some 50+ jobs lost over the hospital closing

    I have been unable to contact Vidant over the cost of their new clinic and expected completion date. The machines working on their site have gotten to the drainage and basic elevations point. Still a building must be erected and filled with equipment. I first saw the site a month ago and progress is not what you would call "expedited."

    Rev. Barber pointed out the problem in NC over Medicaid funds still being refused by the Governor and Legislature. That is the source of Rural Health Care funding all over this state. It is in Washington now with all the money of the General Budget while people have dire needs today in rural NC.