The expansion and renovation of the Linstead Public Hospital’s accident and emergency (A&E) department is to be completed by the end of May, three months after the originally scheduled date.

Last Wednesday when the Jamaica Observer visited the hospital, the facility’s Chief Executive Officer Camille Wallen Panton said that the project was extended due to unforeseen work that had to be done.

The $76-million project, which started last November, will result in the addition of a waiting area, parking area, nebulisation station, examination bays, triage area, in patient pharmacy, as well as a registration and medical records area.

The A&E department will also be getting a mini operating theatre, patients’ waiting area, paediatric ward, electrocardiogram room, and an isolation room.

According to Wallen Panton, the work is part of a bigger project to renovate and upgrade the entire hospital. The work is, however, being done on a phased basis, of which she said the A&E department is the second. The first phase, which was completed in 2014, saw the refurbishing of the administrative building.

She said that there are plans on the table for a third phase, but the hospital’s head said she is unable to provide details at this time.

In the meantime, Wallen Panton said she is very pleased with the work so far as the facility will be able to accommodate more patients.

“On average, we accommodate about 2,000 patients monthly, so we expect that we will be able to accommodate about a 1,000 more. And even if we don’t take on more patients, we will be able to serve them better,” she said.

“It is very significant to the people of Linstead and surrounding five parishes of St Catherine, Clarendon, St Ann, St Mary, and St Andrew,” she added. “We serve people coming from all those areas, and it’s difficult when people come and we don’t have the amenities to make them comfortable.”

The hospital’s CEO said it will also benefit the staff who want to serve in improved working conditions, which will boost their morale.

Some of the residents who use the facility were also elated about the expansion and renovation of the institution.

Pearl Winter said: “I am happy, it means a lot to us. Sometimes instead of rushing off to Spanish Town Hospital we can come here, if everything can be done here.”

Another woman, who did not want to be named, said: “Mi feel good and we appreciate it ’cause they are doing it for the benefit of all of us.”

The Linstead hospital is a major referral centre for Spanish Town, Kingston Public and National Chest hospitals, as well as the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

The facility sees about 30,000 patients annually.

— Tanesha Mundle