The closure of Williamson Memorial Hospital in 2020 had a major impact on the local community. Without a hospital in Mingo County, residents have had to drive out of their area for medical treatment.

"We're having to go to Pikeville. We're having to go to Huntington. I think it would be good back for our area," resident Michelle Barker said.

This week Sen. Joe Manchin's office announced $2 million will go toward reopening the hospital, a project that has been in the works since it was bought by Williamson Health and Wellness. CEO Dino Beckett says when it first opens the hospital will have labs and x-rays available, along with clinic space. The other services will come later.

"We'll have services available in December," Beckett said. "As things come online, we'll bring all those on but it will be a fully-operational hospital once we're completed with everything."

Beckett said the hospital will initially employ 80 people.

"We really need the people at work," Barker said. "It would help with jobs and the economy, everything here. It would just be great to have it back open again."

Beckett confirmed the facility will be a full hospital, equipped with new technology including a gamma camera, ultrasound and telemetry equipment.

During the two years this hospital was shut down, upgrades had to be made and code requirements had to be met, such as installing new plumbing and a new HVAC system.

"It will have an OR, an ER, laboratory, x-ray, all those services as well as patient beds," Beckett told Eyewitness News. "Some of those will come on a little bit later, but everything will be there as anticipated, what we had before we closed."

Williamson residents are eager to have a hospital back in Mingo County.

"The hospital would be great because it gives people a choice to go where they want to go," resident Rick Wilkerson added.