Prime Minister Breaks Ground for $42.6M Renovation of Hagley Park Health Centre

Prime Minister, the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller on Friday, February 6, broke ground for the renovation of the Hagley Park Health Centre in Kingston. The upgrading is funded by the National Health Fund (NHF) at a cost of $42.6 million. The Prime Minister said that the vision is to ensure that the Hagley Park Health Centre can deliver quality health care to the over 27,000 customers it serves, while providing an improved working environment for health staff. “The renovation project is designed to result in improving patient experience and overall service delivery, “the Prime Minister said, while delivering the main address at the groundbreaking ceremony at the health centre.

Reiterating her administration’s commitment to ensuring that “every Jamaican, regardless of their economic or social position, can have access to quality health care in this country,” the Prime Minister noted that government “will continue to put policies in place to ensure that every Jamaican can have the best opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life.”

Outlining some of the major investments in the health sector over the last few years, the Prime Minister disclosed that since 2012, some $620 million has been spent under the primary health care infrastructure renewal programme and to date refurbishing work has been completed on a total of 128 health centres, another nine are in progress.

Mrs. Simpson Miller added that strategic investments have been made, resulting in the establishment of four primary health care centres of excellence at an initial cost of $100 million. “One primary health care centre of excellence has been established in each of the four Regional Health Authorities,” she stated. All have been opened under phase one of the initiative. Phase two, which is now underway, involves additional infrastructure improvements and the acquisition of equipment totaling $268 million through the NHF.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that “despite the massive amounts of funding that has been devoted to the national health programme, the system continues to require far greater levels of financing.” She emphasized that Government is nevertheless committed to the task. “A lot remains to be done to bring the system to the point of excellence but we are committed to task, working at it, step by step, hospital by hospital – and in keeping with our mission today – health centre by health centre,” she noted.

The renovation of the Hagley Park Health Centre is part of a larger national programme to improve the health care infrastructure across the island. The renovation of the centre is expected to be completed in 10 months and during that period patients who normally use the Hagley Park Health Centre will be accommodated at the Oak Glades and Maxfield Park Health Centres.

The Hagley Park Health Centre serves residents in and around Hagley Park, Half Way Tree Road, Molynes Road, Seiveright Gardens, Cockburn Gardens, Greenwich Farm, Olympic Way, Delacree Park, Seaview Gardens, Spanish Town Road, Waltham Park, Majestic Gardens, Bay Farm Road and Upper and Lower Mall Road.