Health Minister John Haggie admits the province's dire fiscal situation is making it difficult to keep up with maintenance and repairs at health care facilities.

"We have a very limited fiscal capacity at the moment, so we have to recognize that there are certain things we would like to do which we simply are unable to do because of the money we don't have," Haggie said Wednesday.

John Haggie is Newfoundland and Labrador's minister of Health and Community Services. (Cal Tobin/CBC)

The circumstance is further proof, he added, that public-private partnerships are a good option for the province.

For example, Haggie said maintenance will not be an issue for projects like the new long-term care home in Corner Brook, which will be operated by the private sector when it opens in two years.

"That risk is borne by the consortium that put that building in place. We simply pay a regular payment," said Haggie.

Health facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador are ailing, according to a report obtained by CBC News that details $152 million in deferred maintenance requirements.

Haggie said it's a situation that's existed for nearly a decade, and is not likely to be erased anytime soon.

The province will spend about $23 million on repairs this year, meaning only projects that are deemed critical by the four regional health authorities will get attention.

"The buildings are safe. That is our No. 1 priority is the safety of our patients, our residents and the people who work there," Haggie explained.

When asked if the buildings are efficient, Haggie said "that's a completely different question."

There's a long list of deferred maintenance requirements at St. Patrick's Mercy Home in St. John's. Total cost - $12 million. (CBC)

"Beyond its useful life" is a recurring phrase in the 200-page report, which paints a worrisome picture of repair needs at hospitals and long-term care facilities at a time when the province is already spending $3 billion annually on health care.

Inefficient windows. Tired heating systems. Crumbling brick. Cranky elevators. Everything from worn carpet and inferior lighting to water distribution systems categorized as requiring "immediate expenditure."

The list of items is long, and the price tag is big.

Topping the list? The 40-year-old Health Sciences Centre in St. John's, the province's largest hospital.

Nearly $21 million in deferred maintenance, including $5 million in roofing needs, more than $4 million to replace an electrical substation, and $2.2 million for new windows.

But much of the report spotlights deficiencies at the venerable Waterford Hospital, sections of which date back to 1855, and St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, which has operated as a hospital for nearly a century.

There are more than 40 pages of maintenance requirements for the two institutions, with a combined cost of $35 million.

A report into deferred maintenance at health facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador reveals $152 million in repair needs, most of which is categorized as requiring "immediate expenditure." (CBC)

The province has already signalled its intentions to replace the Waterford, though that's not expected to happen until 2022, at the earliest.

Other facilities on the Avalon Peninsula with big repair needs include St. Patrick's Mercy Home ($12 million), Leonard A Miller Centre ($10 million) and Carbonear General Hospital ($8 million).

But it's not just an issue on the east coast.

Hospitals in Gander, Twillingate, Corner Brook and St. Anthony require anywhere from $5 million to $9 million in repairs.

So are these numbers unusually high?

How much is the province spending on maintenance, and are there plans to increase expenditures?

CBC News has sent these and others questions to Health Minister John Haggie, whose office said he would be available to speak to the matter late Wednesday afternoon.

Here are the Top 10 health facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador in terms of deferred maintenance costs.