MARKS, Miss. — Quitman County’s only local hospital is closing  after helping the community for more than 30 years.

Quitman Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital.

Their designation is designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improve access to healthcare by keeping essential services in rural communities.

“We are meeting with Quitman County City Council and the hospital administration to see what can be done,” said Senator Robert L. Jackson.

With it being the only medical facility in a 20 to 25-mile radius of the area, it’s hard to imagine not having a facility to go to.

“You could be dead by the time you get there,” said Terry Jameson.

On Thursday, many of the workers at the hospital could be seen packing up their things, finishing up the proper paperwork that is needed to close and going home.

Many of them embraced each other and reminisced about the good times they had working there.

The hospital’s kitchen will still be working in order to feed the nearby nursing facility.

The nursing home officially severed connections with Quitman Hospital, having been bought out by another company.

The move has assured those living there that they are not going anywhere.

The City Council meeting is being held Friday at 9 a.m. at the courthouse.