Western Child and Adolescent Hospital Expected to Be Completed This Financial Year

Completion of the Western Child and Adolescent Hospital in St. James is being targeted for the current financial year, as work continues to advance the project.

This was outlined by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, who highlighted that efforts are being made to accelerate construction, following recent delays.

“I had a meeting last week with the team; UDC (Urban Development Corporation), who are the project managers, and the in-house Ministry of Health team, and also the region’s leadership to get updates on both Cornwall Regional Hospital and the Western Child,” he said.

Dr. Tufton was addressing a press briefing at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in the parish on Thursday (April 9).

The Western Child and Adolescent Hospital project is being undertaken by the Government of Jamaica, through the Health Ministry, and is being constructed on the compound of CRH.

The facility, which is designed as a 220-bed specialised institution to serve children and adolescents across western Jamaica, is being funded through a partnership with the government of the People’s Republic of China.

Recent Estimates of Expenditure indicate that more than $700 million has been allocated to support completion and equipping of the hospital, which is expected to deliver modern, comprehensive paediatric care and will be the first facility of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean.

The Minister indicated that delays in the project were due to a pause in construction activities associated with routine Chinese New Year observances, which affected the availability of workers.

“From Western Child perspective, I’m told that provisions are being made by the contractor to bring in a new set of workers, and they’re going through the process now of work permits,” the Minister noted.

Dr. Tufton indicated that between 50 and 60 workers are expected to be onboarded to support the next phase of construction.

“They have applied for about 50 or 60 workers somewhere in that region, and I’m expecting that they will come in soon and then work will commence,” he said.

While acknowledging past challenges with project timelines, the Minister expressed cautious optimism about completion within the fiscal period.

“I’m very wary of giving timelines these days, because we’ve had so many starts and stops with time,” he said.

“What I am prepared to say, though, is that we’re aiming to complete both hospitals within this financial year, and that to me is a reasonable timeline,” Dr. Tufton added.

In the meantime, parallel activities are being undertaken to prepare for the hospital’s eventual opening, including staff recruitment, maintenance planning, and landscaping.

“There are several things happening at the same time,” Dr. Tufton noted, expressing confidence that the facility will be ready for operation within the projected timeframe.