Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) on Friday announced a federal grant totaling $2.5 million to the Healthcare Authority of Winfield to upgrade the ICU and ER at Northwest Medical Center.
The award came from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration via an Economic Adjustment Assistance grant. This was funded by the CARES Act, which was enacted under the administration of former President Donald J. Trump.
“I have made saving our rural hospitals a priority,” Aderholt said in a statement. “I’m proud to say that not a single hospital in my very rural district has had to close in the last decade. Part of that success comes from Congress appropriating funds like these that can be used to support the hospital in Winfield.”
“This money is not only an investment in the hospital’s facilities, but it’s an investment in the community,” he continued. “People take comfort in knowing their local hospital is going to be open and there when needed. These funds will help ensure Northwest Medical Center will be open to serve to the people of Marion County for decades to come.”
The total project cost is $4 million, and the anticipated economic impact includes nine permanent jobs created and $1.99 million in private investment leveraged.
State Rep. Tracy Estes (R-Winfield) stated, “I am honored to have partnered with Congressman Robert Aderholt in this important effort to not only save our local hospital, but to strengthen its existing foundation to guarantee it’s well being in the future to serve the residents of Northwest Alabama.”
“The work involved in this process was arduous, but working together as a team, the end result will be something in which the entire community can take pride. This portion of Alabama is indebted to Congressman Aderholt and his tireless efforts to assist with this project. I cannot count the number of times he and I shared phone calls and meetings to make this day a reality,” he concluded.
The Economic Development Administration also noted that the project is expected to “increase economic resiliency to an area that has been impacted by the decline in the coal industry.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
