Steady Progress In Noel Holmes Hospital Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of the Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, is progressing steadily, with ongoing efforts to restore safe, functional, and resilient healthcare facilities following damage caused by Hurricane Melissa last year.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Princess Wedderburn, reported that repairs to the dietary and maternity wards are ongoing, while work on the staff quarters is nearing completion.

She noted that internal plumbing and electrical works at the staff facility are largely complete, while roofing of the maternity ward has been finalised, with slab roofs replacing the previous zinc structures.

In a JIS News interview, Ms. Wedderburn described the renovations as a major milestone in restoring the healthcare facility, which is situated along the coastline.

“The long-term goal is not only to restore the facilities, but also to strengthen them to better withstand future events and improve overall healthcare delivery for the community,” she said.

Ms. Wedderburn indicated that rebuilding efforts have been impacted by the high demand for construction materials across western Jamaica.

“One of the major things that we could say is the logistics aspect… the material delivery. That’s because the impact of this hurricane across western Jamaica is causing a lot of building to take place, and that is causing some delay in the delivery of materials,” she explained.

Despite these challenges, the CEO emphasised that the progress achieved, so far, remains commendable, noting, “There is still work to be done, but the progress reflects a coordinated and committed effort.”

Ms. Wedderburn also expressed gratitude to the staff, management, and construction team for their dedication and professionalism.

She advised that patient inflow at the Noel Holmes Hospital remains steady, with health centres across the parish helping to ease the burden as reconstruction continues.

“On a given day, we may see between 40 and 80 patients accessing care through our Accident and Emergency Department, with some requiring admission. The health centres across the parish continue to provide care within the communities, which helps to ease the overall burden. We are seeing a steady but manageable increase [in patient numbers],” Ms. Wedderburn added.