KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Government’s investment in the redevelopment of the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) has expanded and strengthened the health infrastructure in western Jamaica, through the upgrading and equipping of several facilities, says Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton.

He was addressing a recent meeting of the Standing Finance Committee in the House of Representatives.

Dr Tufton noted that the multibillion-dollar project, which necessitated the evacuation of the hospital building and the relocation of services, included the rental of a private facility and the purchase of equipment for several hospitals and health centres in the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) to accommodate patients who would have normally been treated at CRH.

“Every hospital benefited from the expenditure, primarily Falmouth, the compound of Cornwall, and Noel Holmes and the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital,” he said.

He informed that funds have been spent on “supporting infrastructure” such as parking for the adjoining Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, a new roof for the Falmouth hospital, along with renovation and extension of the outpatient department, improvement to drainage systems, and electrical and plumbing works.

In addition, several pieces of equipment have been purchased to replace outdated tools and machines.

The objectives of the redevelopment project are geared at improving service delivery in the public health system by rehabilitating the CRH to include heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP); information and communications technology (ICT) and equipping the institution.

-JIS