Refurbished Ulster Spring Health Centre Re-Opens

The Ulster Spring Health Centre in South Trelawny, which was refurbished at a cost of $9 million, was officially re-opened by Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, on December 22.

The facility, which currently serves more than 10 communities, now boasts an expanded dental department, improved dressing and treatment area as well as a brand new sewerage treatment plant.

Addressing the ceremony, the Minister said the project is in keeping with Government’s efforts to continue improving the Primary Health Care infrastructure and “an attempt at making a difference in the lives of our people … allowing them the opportunity and the right to access quality health care.”

“The vision for the Ulster Spring Health Centre is that it must become a Centre of Excellence and therefore what has started is part of a process to be continued,” Dr. Ferguson said.

He explained that the health centre’s development is designed to ease the pressure off the Falmouth and Cornwall Regional Hospitals.

“What we have started and will continue is to ensure that as part of the Primary Health Care Renewal Project, started in the last administration, we build on the vision. To date we have completed over 115 health centres across the country, spending approximately $620 million on these facilities,” Dr. Ferguson informed.

He said that rehabilitating health centres across Jamaica is not just implementing a mandate of the Ministry of Health, but it is being done against the background of the need to improve health overall, in order to meet the country’s National Development objectives of a healthy and stable population by 2030.

The Minister noted that implementation of the Primary Health Infrastructure Renewal Programme is one of the strategies to reduce the impact of non-communicable diseases and to provide access to affordable and quality health care to the people of Jamaica.

He said the improved facility will enable staff and clients to function in a more comfortable and conducive environment. “This will also allow for the continuation of services, such as medical clinics, maternal child health, family health, pharmacy services, mental and dental health, nutrition and health education,” the Minister added.