Work Progressing at Cornwall Regional Hospital

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon Christopher Tufton, says the two pronged approach being employed to rehabilitate the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), in St. James, “is on in earnest.”

Speaking at a ceremony on November 9 to officially hand over 44 new beds to the hospital, Dr. Tufton said the  approach incorporates quality service delivery, and rehabilitation of the main building,  as the Government seeks to bring full restoration to the hospital, which had been beset by ventilation issues.

“On one hand, we are enhancing our ability to provide quality service to patients who need it. There is the expanded Accident and Emergency  (A & E) unit  that is working very well and then there is the diagnostic infrastructure that is to come in short order; so that’s the service side. On the main infrastructure side, you will start to see some activities now,” he noted.

The Minister  said “tangible” rehabilitative work on the main building at the hospital is to commence this week. In addition to that, Dr. Tufton outlined that efforts to remove the old ventilation system as well as unneeded infrastructure in the main building will also commence within a week.

He pointed out that the contract for work to begin on the roof of the main building will be awarded soon, adding that the roof will be sealed to eliminate moisture challenges believed to be responsible for the mould nuisance at the facility.

Dr. Tufton also noted that  engineering work to look at plumbing, electrical and the architectural work in terms of the designs and redesigns of the floors are well advanced.

Come next year, the Minister said a main contractor will commence the overall rehabilitative work on the main building.

The Government is spending approximately $2 billion to undertake the rehabilitation of the hospital.