WESTMORELAND, Jamaica— Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton toured the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital on Friday, where he said developments valued at $100 million were concluded about a week ago.

The minister disclosed that the hospital’s COVID ward has been converted into the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre and now has more space for doctors to see patients in a more comfortable setting.

“That conversion has taken place up to the ending of last month where we now have cubicles for doctors and patients, we have a waiting area and looking at it; talking to the patients, they are far more comfortable than they were before which was on another side of the town and [it is] a lot bigger space, maybe 10 times bigger than what they had pre-COVID when the facility was here at the hospital,” Minister Tufton said.

During COVID-19 the patients at the Savanna-la-Mar hospital had to access clinic services at the Independence Park, off the hospital’s compound. The off-site clinics, the ministry said, posed transportation issues, problems accessing medical records, as well as patients having to go back and forth to the hospital for any investigations to be done.

Alleviating these issues with the converted structure, the minister said is “in a way one of the benefits of the COVID infrastructure build out” for which the patients have expressed appreciation.

As for the outpatient facility at the hospital, Dr Tufton said that it will be converted into a permanent concrete structure,as it is presently a dome tent. The foundation, he disclosed, was deliberately built solid in anticipation of this upcoming expansion.

“Over the next number of months into next year we’re gonna be doing the architectural designs, and that will have implications for an expanded Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in terms of space; both ward space and clinic space,” the minister told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The tour ended with a visit to the new broiler, which the minister said will affect surgery in terms of sterilisation, dietary when it comes to meal preparation and laundry.

He added that the boiler was an $80 million investment that was long overdue.

Meanwhile, Senior Medical Officer for the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, Dr Suman Vemu expressed gratitude for the minister’s tour and contributions.

“I would like to thank the honourable minister for his visit. At present the outpatient clinic is at the best location, where the doctors can respond to emergencies on the ward, because of its close proximity,” Dr Vemu said.

However, Dr Vemu is hoping for more expansion with the inpatient facilities. He said this will alleviate the challenge the hospital has with overcrowding, as it will allow for more accommodations.

The minister in keeping with his monthly visits to the regional health authorities will follow-up his tour of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, with a visit at Cornwall Regional Hospital and Hospiten, today.

– Kimberley Peddie