Major renewal for Jamaica’s public health-care infrastructure

FROM rebuilding hospitals battered by Hurricane Melissa to approving plans for four new, climate-resilient facilities, the Government is embarking on what Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has described as a major renewal of Jamaica’s public health-care infrastructure.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Tufton said Cabinet had approved a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) to advance the climate-resilient reconstruction and modernisation of four hospitals. The projects include new build-outs and improvements at the 250-bed Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth, classified as a Type B facility; the 250-bed Falmouth General Hospital in Trelawny and the 150-bed Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover, both designated Type C; and the 750-bed Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), which will be classified as Type A. The facilities, he noted, are being developed according to the new Secondary Healthcare Model and the Pan American Health Organization smart health facility standard. According to Tufton, the KPH project is intended to be rolled out in phases and will include new surgical and medical towers on Orange Street in downtown Kingston. He said the eventual goal is for the new campus to replace the existing KPH and provide Jamaica with a modern, resilient, and dependable hospital capable of fulfilling the Type A referral and national trauma role assigned under the Secondary Healthcare Model. As for the other facilities, Tufton said, “the locations of these facilities are, again, to be finalised, but that’s a work in progress. What is most important is that Cabinet has now sanctioned, under the guidance of Prime Minister [Dr Andrew Holness], moving forward. And this is historic, because it means a renewal of our infrastructure, a continuation of that renewal. It will be bigger, better equipped, and will, therefore, hopefully, serve the purpose both for staff and for patients”. The announcement comes as the Government continues to repair and rebuild hospitals damaged by Hurricane Melissa, which devastated sections of Western Jamaica nearly a year ago. On Wednesday, Tufton declared to the press briefing that Black River Hospital was once more fully operational following significant reconstruction efforts. “By the end of October, the prime minister will officially open the new, if you want to call it, new second-hand Black River Hospital male and female surgical wards. The operating theatres and the staff quarters, which is a 20-bed staff quarter at the hospital, those have been rebuilt over the last 12 months, and this month, October, we will see the opening of those,” he said, adding that the surgical wards’ reconstruction also featured an increase in bed count from 150 to 180. Tufton noted that the renovated facility also had newly renovated bathrooms, repurposed rooms for doctors and staff, a new nursing station, and piped oxygen extended to all areas on each ward. “The operating theatre suite comprises two floors with two operating rooms, a recovery room area, waiting area, bathroom, changing room facilities for patients and family and staff, staff lounge, offices, storeroom, and central sterile service department,” he said. “So this month, on the first anniversary [of Hurricane Melissa], Black River Hospital is back. And it took a lot of effort, and I want to again recognise the team,” said the minister. He added that renovation of the facility’s administrative building is expected to be completed in November, while construction of a 23-bed maternity ward is scheduled to begin this month. At Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, an extension of the former COVID-19 ward has been completed and is now accommodating 28 medical patients. The works include the renovation of the female surgical ward, painting, fixing of the roof, and upgrades to toilet facilities, as well as a 38-bed increase in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) department which, Tufton said, will reduce overcrowding. Meanwhile, at Falmouth Hospital, the main ward within the A&E department is approximately 90 per cent complete, and expected to be done by the end of October. “I think they’re just waiting now to instal the air-conditioning unit, and they’re hoping to complete that this month. The next step at Falmouth is paediatrics and dietary, and the work has started on those areas,” said Tufton. Noel Holmes Hospital has also undergone significant reconstruction marked by the establishment of six staffing quarters, an outpatient area and a maternity ward that is 85 per cent complete. For Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James, its main A&E building has been completed and will be officially opened this month. The minister added that the new building is now twice the size of the current A&E department. “It will boast modern, spacious, and integrated environment designed to support the rapid assessment, stabilisation, diagnosis, and treatment of critically ill and injured patients. The new area will have all the full A&E services — trauma, ambulatory, walk-ins, and emergency services. There are 10 observational beds for 24-hour observation, examination rooms, and other support services,” noted Tufton. In addition to the hospital projects, Tufton said the Government expects to commission the Old Harbour Health Centre, St Jago Health Centre, and Portmore Health Centre under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme. “These are mega facilities when compared to previous ones. More space, more doctors, more services, and more smart. This started before the hurricane, but I just want to say stay tuned and see that capacity being added in the months to come,” he told the media briefing.