THE island’s four regional health authorities will benefit from 12 projects being implemented by the National Health Fund’s Institutional Benefits Programme at a cost of $214.56 million.

Four of the approved projects are for the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in the Western Regional Health Authority. These projects will cost $55.45 million.

CRH was opened in 1974 and is one of three Type A hospitals in the island – the others are the University Hospital of the West Indies and Kingston Public Hospital in the Corporate Area.

Also included among the 12 projects planned across the island are:

. a food handlers’ badge system to be piloted in the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA);

. purchase of public health inspectors’ equipment for the SERHA;

. a latrine sanitation project for St Elizabeth; and

. upgrading the information technology infrastructure for the SERHA.

In addition, the North East Regional Health Authority obtained approval for the renovation of the Outpatient and Accident & Emergency departments at the Port Maria Hospital as well as the building and equipping of a new health centre in Highgate, St Mary.

“The NHF works with the regional health authorities and the health ministry to ensure that the projects meet the guidelines set out by the Fund,” said the NHF’s chief executive officer Rae Barrett.

“Projects approved by the NHF for institutional benefits do not cover recurrent expenditure such as salaries and utility costs, and are in keeping with priorities set by the health ministry and the internationally accepted essential public health functions.”

Under its Institutional Benefits Programme the NHF accepts and reviews projects which promote:

. equitable access to necessary health services,

. human resource development and training,

. health promotion, public health regulation and enforcement, as well as

. management capacity to improve systems and health situation monitoring.

Initial disbursements for the start-up of projects will be handed over soon and the projects monitored by the NHF’s Institutional Benefits Division.