KINGSTON, Jamaica – An upheaval in the Denham Town area of West Kingston has forced authorities to temporarily close the community’s health centre.

The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) announced a short while ago that the Denham Town Health Centre would be closed until further notice.

Dr Andrei Cooke, SERHA Board Chairman explained that the decision was taken to close the health centre in light of the violence affecting the community.

“We have been informed that the area is now tense and so we are concerned about the safety of the staff and the patients that visit the health centre and so we have closed that facility temporarily until the conditions improve,” Dr Cooke explained.

“Residents are encouraged to utilise the Edgerton Chin Loy and Comprehensive Health Centres in the interim. The staff from the Denham Town Health Centre has been redeployed to these facilities to assist with the additional patient load,” he added.

The public will be notified as soon as the health centre is reopened.