Multibillion-Dollar Upgrading Of Hospitals And Health Centres
By: , February 11, 2022
Photo: Michael Sloley
Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, delivers the Throne Speech during the 2022/23 Ceremonial Opening of Parliament at Gordon House, on Thursday (February 10), under the theme ‘Building Our Jamaica: Peace: Peace, Opportunity and Prosperity’.The Full Story
The Government will shortly commence its multibillion-dollar upgrade of the health sector, which is the largest allocation to be budgeted to ensure that Jamaicans are served in state-of-the-art facilities.
Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, who highlighted the development while delivering the 2022 Thone Speech in the House of Representatives on February 10, said this has never been undertaken since Independence.
“The plan, which is being jointly funded by the European Union and the Inter-American Development Bank, will see upgrades to 13 health facilities, comprising three hospitals and 10 health centres. The Spanish Town, St. Ann’s Bay and May Pen Hospitals will be upgraded,” he noted.
Health centres to be upgraded under the project are Greater Portmore, St. Jago Park, Old Harbour, St. Ann’s Bay, Ocho Rios, Brown’s Town, May Pen East, May Pen West, Mocho, and the Chapelton Community Hospital.
The Governor-General said that in addition to those facilities, upgrading of the building and equipment at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) is in the design phase, and buildout work is continuing at Cornwall Regional Hospital and the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital.
He said as part of efforts to boost healthcare delivery, especially to mitigate the Coronavirus (COVID-19), several field hospitals were established, which increased the bed complement and capacity of the health system to provide care for affected persons.
The Governor-General told the House that vaccination is now available through “established sites, mobile units, and private providers,” adding that many strategies are being employed to combat other health challenges in the society.
“The Government has continued its multipronged strategy to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), by improving management and access to services and reducing behavioural risk factors, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity,” the Governor-General said.