National Health Fund (NHF) is investing $60 million in the construction of a health centre in Belfield, St Mary.

Chief Executive Officer at the NHF, Everton Anderson made the revelation at a ground breaking ceremony for the project on Tuesday, noting that the 4,227 square-foot building will serve approximately 2,000 people in Belfield and other surrounding communities such as Belfield Hill Top, Belfield Line, Belfield Over River, and will offer services such as maternal and child health, mental health, and nutrition.

For the first time, the health centre will also be delivering pharmacy services in keeping with the mandate of the NHF.

“This investment reflects our unwavering commitment to our role in fostering a thriving healthcare sector in Jamaica. This funding marks a significant step towards enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Belfield,” Anderson said.

“In the year 2003, the Fund was established to support healthcare financing in Jamaica and twenty years later, we have helped scores of institutions and programmes develop and improve their delivery of health services,” he continued. “Over 850 projects have been approved across all regions valued at some $23 billion dollars. The NHF is dedicated to supporting the operational priorities of the Regional Health Authorities in improving healthcare in Jamaica.”

There are also six NHF-managed public sector pharmacy locations in St Mary, 106 across the island, where public patients can fill their prescriptions free of cost from the Government of Jamaica’s list of vital, essential and necessary drugs.

The NHF said the 10-month project valued at approximately $140 million is in partnership with the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund, the North-East Regional Health Authority and the Ministry of Health & Wellness.