MOUNT SALEM, St James — While acknowledging that Jamaica is doing well on the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking in the area of health, Prime Minister Andrew Holness is confident the country can do much better.

Currently ranked 97 out of 189 countries in that area, Holness believes Jamaica will move up 30 places in the next decade.

“Health is essential in human capital development and therefore key to national development. On the Human Development Index, Jamaica’s score is 0.732, which places us in the high human development category — particularly in the area of health, we are doing very well, which places us at 97 out of 189 countries ranked. Now, I am not comfortable [with] 97, I think we can do much better and I am confident…that in 10 years time we will jump 30 places or more,” Holness said.

The prime minister was addressing the ground-breaking ceremony for the long-awaited state-of-the-art Western Children and Adolescents Hospital in St James on Wednesday.

He said the hospital can assist the country in moving up three places on the index.

“This hospital we are breaking ground for will move us two or three places up. Why? We will be able to accommodate 220 patients by bed count. Knowing how we operate, it probably will be more, but the bed count the hospital is built to accommodate is 220,” stated Holness.

The prime minister also gave an insight into how the hospital is going to improve the quality of life of Jamaicans, which will in turn be reflected on the Human Development Index.

According to Holness, 10 years ago, the nation started on a very important pathway of fiscal discipline, which has led to a 147 per cent debt reduction from a high of 151 per cent of gross domestic product. He said it has resulted in the country having more fiscal space to assist with improving the health sector through the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“The minister (Dr Christopher Tufton) has outlined that within this fiscal space, we have taken on some very low-interest debt with our partners, the IDB ( Inter-American Development Bank), and we are putting money in it as well, and are going to make capital investment in the Spanish Town Hospital. When it is finished, it is going to be lovely.

“We are making investments as well in St Ann’s Bay. The minister has pointed out to me that there is a lovely plan for the UWI (University of the West Indies) hospital, and then we are making a massive investment in retrofitting, refurbishing, retooling, re-equipping, ‘re-everything’, this building. You are gonna get a brand new building when it is done. And then, of course, thanks to the Government of China, an entirely new facility for paediatric and adolescent care will be built right here,” stated an optimistic prime minister.

“The more we invest in our social services is the greater the development of our human and social capital. So I am very happy to be here to see this happen. And this is a major step forward,” added Holness.

“This hospital will also have the capacity to serve the Caribbean because it will be the only such facility in the English-speaking Caribbean. I know we have the technical and professional expertise to offer the service,” the prime minister added.