RESIDENTS of St Catherine and surrounding parishes are set to receive improved healthcare services, as the Government is investing $5.5 billion to redevelop the Spanish Town Hospital.

The multibillion-dollar project will usher in a transformed environment for both patients and staff, with the 430-bed hospital operating in a new state-of-the-art six-storey facility, spanning more than 17,000 square metres.

Services to be expanded at the hospital are urology, oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology and psychiatry.

It will be equipped with cutting-edge technology, including electronic access to patients’ medical records.

The development is to make available a reliable and modern infrastructure for health service delivery, a goal articulated in the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Vision For Health 2030 Ten-Year Strategic Plan.

Dubbed, the Redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital, the project is being implemented by the Government, through financial support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

A total of US$148 million has been allocated for the Health Systems Strengthening Programme, with the Government committing US$87 million.

The 70-year-old hospital is the largest ‘Type B’ medical facility on the island. The new building will include an Accident and Emergency wing on the ground floor, alongside an ambulance bay, triage and Consultation rooms, and lounge areas for medical staff.

The ground floor will also feature the Radiology Department, equipped with MRI, X-ray and CT scan rooms, among other diagnostic services.

An outpatient department, an endoscopy unit, a surgical suite and an intensive care unit will also form part of the redeveloped facility.

Six operating theatres, multiple general wards, and special wards, including isolation rooms, will be in the facility. There will be a separate wing for laboratory services, including immunology, haematology and serology, and a blood collection centre.

The hospital sees the second highest number of newborn deliveries in Jamaica, with service in this area enhanced by a neonatal intensive care unit set up in August 2019. That unit has the capacity to hold 40 babies and sees an average of 1,200 babies per year.

It also has a maternity unit that houses an operating theatre, labour ward, postnatal ward, and an antenatal ward.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, said the massive investment at the hospital is for the many thousands of people who rely on its services.

“The Government of Jamaica is determined to transform the health system for patients and their families but also. critically, for the health staff who make it possible to deliver care to the many thousands who visit this and other facilities islandwide,” he added, at the recent ground-breaking ceremony for the new hospital.

“This project is transformative in many ways,” he said, underscoring that it is “critical to motivate health staff and get their best output.”

Chief of operations at the IDB, Lorenzo Escondeur, said the expansion of the building and the medical services at the hospital represent a “key moment” for the population, as it will “provide accessible and high-quality hospital services and address some of the current issues, and meet the rising demand for care in the area”.

Member of Parliament for St Catherine Central Olivia Grange, said the new hospital and services are highly anticipated.

“The dream of a first-class Spanish Town Hospital is becoming a reality, and I fully endorse this project,” she said, in a speech read by Councillor for the Hampton Green Division Theresa Turner-Flynn.

For Member of Parliament St Catherine Eastern Denise Daley improvement at the hospital will aid residents to save money, as they will be able to access services closer to them.

“It is important that we finish on time, and I implore all citizens to give all the cooperation. I have a lot of interest that this hospital becomes one of the best in the Caribbean,” Daley said.

The National Development Plan states that “the health of the nation reflects the level of social and economic development, the choices made by Government and the people to promote and protect health, to manage illnesses and specific health problems, and to respond adequately to public health emergencies”.

“Jamaica has achieved many milestones in health, yet the central challenge today is how to ensure that all Jamaicans, regardless of their socio-economic condition, their age, their gender, can be empowered to achieve their fullest potential in health,” the document states.