ST JAMES, Jamaica — Residents of St James are to benefit from the construction of four additional health centres in the parish.

The project, to be funded by the National Health Fund (NHF) at a cost of $500 million, will see centres being built in Farm Heights, Norwood, Maroon Town and New Hampton, beginning January 2025.

This was disclosed by Parish Manager for the St James Health Department, Lennox Wallace, during the St James Municipal Corporation’s recent monthly meeting.

He further advised that repairs are slated to be carried out at existing health centres in the parish, where needed, to serve the public better.

Among these, Wallace said is the Mafoota Health Centre, which he indicated “will receive much-needed work”, adding that, “we have been through the procurement process already, and the work will start in January”.

The parish manager further informed that supplementary repairs would be undertaken at health facilities serving Green Pond, Glendevon, Somerton, Mount Carey, Garland and Lottery.

“Work is currently being done at the Green Pond Health Centre [and] will include an additional five rooms… [and] a pharmacy,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the St James Type V Health Centre is to be expanded, as it continues to serve as the parish’s health centre hub.

Wallace said purchasing agreements for the neighbouring Montego Bay Ice Factory are almost complete, as they prepare to facilitate a five-floor administrative building on that property.

The upgrades in the region will also include increased staff across health centres and a 12-midnight closing time for the Catherine Hall Health Centre.

“There are certain days that you have to go to the health centre to see a doctor… but people don’t plan to get sick. So, the ministry has created a course for us to employ doctors and nurses. So, any day that you go to a facility, you should be able to see a doctor without delay,” Wallace pointed out.

— JIS