$42-m upgrade and new name for St Catherine medical centre
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Hundreds of residents in the north-western region of this parish are to benefit from today’s freshly-opened Kenneth Baugh Health Centre.
Formerly known as the Point Hill Health Centre, the medical facility benefitted from a $42 million upgrade to go with its new name which recognises the life and work of the late surgeon. Dr Baugh, who served as Minister of Health between 1980 -1989, was also Member of Parliament for the constituency in which the building now stands.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, noted that the decision to name the centre in honour of Dr Baugh goes beyond his work in politics.
“He was a stalwart is so many ways. He championed primary healthcare which is another significance of this facility. This is for community healthcare and he was the doctor and the gentleman who championed the community response to good public health which often times we underrate and underestimate,” he said.
The 1,453-square-foot facility is now equipped to offer maternal services and child health, family planning, pap smear, dressing, immunisation and laboratory services.
The building also includes a registry for record keeping, an antenatal and postnatal facility, a lunchroom, a dressing room, dental services and a doctor’ s office.
Everton Anderson, Chief Executive Officer at the National Health Fund, spoke of his joy in working with the health ministry to complete the project.
“We are very happy for the partnership [that made it possible] to get this done. We are very happy at the outcome. I couldn’t have imagined that what we saw when we came could have been transformed into this,” he said.
Dr Baugh’s son, Gregory, extended his gratitude, on behalf of his family, to the Government for honouring his father in this manner.
“We are happy to note the services that this facility will provide to many. This health centre gives us comfort to know that service to the people who he loved will continue in a fitting way,” he said.
Aaliyah Cunningham