Fegurson to 'look at' proposal to change name of Cornwall Regional Hospital

Horace Hines

Thursday, February 23, 2012

MONTEGO BAY, St James - Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson has promised to "follow up" on a proposal to name the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay in honour of former health minister, the late Dr Herbert Eldemire.

" I know that there seems to have been wide acceptance. So as the new minister I wouldn't have want to come here today (last Friday) not being aware that there was a proposed name change for this institution to be called the Dr Herbert Eldemire Hospital. It is something that I will be looking at from where I sit," Dr Ferguson said during a tour of the facility last Friday.

Dr Ferguson hailed the former health minister for the efforts he initiated in 1965 to establish the facility, which was eventually opened in 1974.

" I want to pay tribute to Dr Herbert Eldemire, former minister of health who worked assiduously to bring this institution (CRH) into place," said Dr Fergurson.

"It was conceived at a time when it was felt that the western part of Jamaica was not in any way enjoying the kind of health care that it deserved," he added.

Just over a year ago Daryl Vaz, then minister with responsibility for information in the last Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration announced that the hospital was to be renamed the Herbert Eldermire Hospital in honour of the late medical practitioner who served as minister of health from 1962 to 1972.

Dr Eldemire was also the chairman of the JLP from 1967 to 1972, and served as member of parliament for North West St James from 1962 to 1967. He later served as MP for the neighbouring constituency of East Central St James, before retiring from active politics in 1980.

As health minister, he was also responsible for the establishment of the School of Nursing and the introduction of the National Family Planning Programme.