Health Minister Says Work on CRH and WCAH Should Be Completed in 2026

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says the Government is working to complete and open both the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) and the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital (WCAH) in 2026, despite setbacks caused by Hurricane Melissa late last year.

Dr. Tufton gave the undertaking on Saturday (January 24), following a tour of several hospitals in western Jamaica, to include the two major institutions in St James, as well as Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover and Falmouth Public General in Trelawny.

“I had a meeting this week with the project management team, the contractors, and we’re working assiduously for 2026 to be the year when you’ll see significant engagement, if not total engagement, of CRH. WCAH, similarly so,” Dr. Tufton said.

He pointed out that at CRH, priority is being placed on completing critical components of the main building, particularly the accident and emergency department, which will be substantially larger to ease the ongoing pressure on emergency services.

Similar plans are in place for the WCAH where several areas are expected to be completed ahead of others, according to the Minister.

Dr. Tufton said he is confident that 2026 would mark the year both institutions finally reach completion to allow the public to see the real value of what many years of waiting has been.

“We have a quality assurance firm that has come in now to ensure that the bells and the whistles are sorted out, working with the SMO and her team on the HR plan. So, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes that you don’t see,” the Minister outlined.

He pointed out that the completion timeline was affected due to the impact from Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island in October 2025.

Dr. Tufton indicated that a warehouse storing raw materials for CRH was destroyed and now requires a costly repurchase of lost supplies. Moreover, the main CRH building also suffered water intrusion, contaminating internal walls and requiring repairs along with some roof damage, he noted.

The WCAH site likewise faced storm-related issues.

However, despite these setbacks, Dr. Tufton said he is optimistic about the 2026 target.