IPS Hospital Central ceiling collapse injures mother in obstetrics ward

A portion of the ceiling collapsed in the obstetrics ward of the IPS Hospital Central in Paraguay on Tuesday afternoon. Approximately one square meter of plaster fell in the second-floor maternity unit, striking a bed where a mother and her newborn son were located.

The mother sustained a blow to her left shoulder but did not suffer serious injuries, as she was able to protect her infant with her body. Both the mother and child received medical assistance and were subsequently moved to a different sector of the hospital. Other patients in the area were evacuated as a precaution.

Osvaldo Alvarenga, director of the Hospital Central, described the incident as a “desgracia con suerte” (a misfortune with luck). He explained that the collapse was caused by ongoing repair work on the third floor, specifically the replacement of the floor covering, which triggered the debris to fall to the level below. Alvarenga ordered an immediate halt to the construction work and stated that future repairs will be conducted in sectors with preventive evacuations of the areas directly underneath.