BUFF BAY, Portland — Residents of this community who have sometimes had to travel as far away as St Mary to access medical care now have the option of being treated closer to home at the renovated Buff Bay District Health Centre.

It was officially opened by Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton on Thursday.

“The total investment in these renovations exceeded $300 million, reflecting a commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities for patient care,” he said.

According to Tufton, additions to the facility include separate areas for the treatment of asthma and trauma, as well as a physiotherapy department. There will also be offices for doctors, nurses, dental care and medical records. In addition to a staff room, there will also be rooms earmarked for office treatment, assessment, dressing rooms, and waiting areas. These are all separate from areas dedicated to sterilisation, laundry, storage and diagnostics.

“The impact of these renovations will extend beyond physical improvements. We hope to create improved working conditions for caregivers, creating a more conducive environment for healing and recovery,” the health minister explained.

The facility replaces the Buff Bay Public General Hospital which was built more than 100 years ago by the British Government. In 1985, it was scaled down to a community hospital and most recently it operated as a Type 4 health centre. It serves a population of about 25,000.

“It is the largest health facility within the western health district of Portland and serves as the main health care institution for residents within the Buff Bay Valley and as far as the border with St Andrew. Residents in Hope Bay Valley and communities along the main road from Windsor Castle leading to St Margaret’s Bay and the parish of St Mary also benefit from the facility,” explained Tufton.

According to the health minister, the old wooden building that was replaced had been “unsafe, aesthetically displeasing and prevented satisfactory infection prevention and control”. It was also unable to accommodate the addition of new services required by a growing population and the mandates of the primary care reform structure.

The National Health Fund (NHF) and Northeast Regional Health Authority (NERHA) worked together on the new centre.

“The success of this project underscores the importance of continued collaboration and investment in health-care infrastructure. It serves as a testament to the dedication and hard work of all involved, including contractors, suppliers, and health-care professionals at the Buff Bay Health Centre,” said Tufton.

He urged local and international players in the private sector to get involved.

“It is imperative to echo the importance of partnership to support the build-out of public health infrastructure and increase our capacity to improve service delivery. Though the improvement of our health system is incumbent on us as a Government, we realise that collaboration, too — be it public/private or with international partners, has a vital role to play,” said the minister.

“It is within that context that we continue to lobby entities through public-private partnerships, both locally and internationally, to provide support as we continue to improve our health system and provide care through our National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation, which seeks to improve access to services within the public health-care system,” Tufton added.

In the meantime Member of Parliament for Portland Western Daryl Vaz, who is also Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunication and Transport, described the upgrade it as a “dream come true”.

“This was one of the first issues raised with me when I became Member of Parliament in 2006. It was a burning issue because at one stage a hospital was there giving all the services, then all of a sudden no more hospital, but a Type 4 health centre,” he said during the ceremony.

“The people were very upset as persons had to go to Annotto Bay [St Mary] for some of the services and to Port Antonio. A number of children were born and registered in Annotto Bay which is not the parish they live in. I’m happy to be here to deliver on a commitment that I made. It took me longer than I wanted it to be [but] we are grateful,” Vaz added with a smile.