Stony Hill Health Centre to be upgraded

KINGSTON — Health Minister, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, says the Ministry will be moving to address challenges at the Stony Hill Health Centre in St. Andrew, with a view to re-instating it to a Type V facility.

Speaking with JIS News, following a recent tour of the centre, Mr. Spencer cited several shortcomings.

“The medical rooms are seriously cramped…that has to go. The pharmacy is too small, and the waiting area is too small. The place where doctors examine patients is old fashioned.  Something must be done, and we will do something about that,” the Minister said.

“There has been a steady decline (to the point where) I think it is now a Type 111 facility, and there is tremendous demand for the services here. They (staff) are seeing hundreds of patients a day. As a matter of fact, they are running two shifts…so the Ministry of Health will seriously look to see how we can bring it back to a Type V,” Mr. Spencer said.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Labour and Social Security, and Member of Parliament for West Rural St. Andrew, where the health centre is located, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, told JIS News that he was grateful to the Minister for touring and viewing, first hand, what currently obtains at the facility.

He pointed out that the centre serves a fairly large population in the communities of Bowden Hill, Mount James, Golden Spring, Cavaliers, Parks Road, and Stony Hill, with as much as 200 persons visiting the facility each day.

 “So, we want to significantly improve the conditions that the health workers work under, and also create more space for each and every department. As the Minister said, it’s really cramped. It is time to give it (centre) a good uplift and bring it back to a Type V, to serve the community properly,” Mr. Gallimore said.

By Douglas Mcintosh, JIS Reporter