KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Health and Wellness has signed a contract valued at $72.6 million with Form Architects Limited for the provision of design and technical services for the upgrade of four key health facilities across Clarendon and St Ann.

The facilities to benefit under this engagement are May Pen West (Denbigh) Health Centre and Mocho Health Centre in Clarendon, along with the St Ann’s Bay Health Centre and St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St Ann.

The contract was signed on May 15, 2025 at the ministry’s offices in New Kingston. It forms part of the developments under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP). The contracts were signed by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, and Lead Architect at Form Architects Limited, Damian Edmond.

Speaking at the signing, Dr Tufton said “These facilities serve thousands of Jamaicans every year and they are essential to our delivery of both preventive and curative services. As such, the design phase is crucial — it will ensure that we create modern, efficient and climate-resilient health spaces that support quality care, improve staff workflow and enhance patient outcomes.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Form Architects Limited will be responsible for preparing comprehensive architectural and engineering designs, supporting the development of Bills of Quantities, technical specifications, and cost estimates, and assisting with the processes for obtaining building permits and tendering for construction works. The contractor will also provide technical assistance during the implementation phase to ensure alignment with approved plans and standards.

“This contract represents a critical investment by the ministry, through the HSSP, in the future of healthcare delivery for these communities,” said Orett Clarke, programme manager for the HSSP. “It moves us one step closer to making these four healthcare facilities more modern, functional and accessible to the citizens they serve.”

Clarke also noted that the expansion works will allow for a wider range of services to be provided at these facilities and for better integration of the electronic health records (EHR) system, e-Care. E-Care is now fully implemented in all 13 HSSP facilities.

HSSP was launched in 2018 and is designed to support the management and delivery of healthcare services across Jamaica, with a focus on preventing and managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The programme operates with US$87 million in funding from the Government of Jamaica, a US$50 million loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and a US$10 million grant from the European Union.

A total of 13 facilities — three hospitals and 10 health centres — in St Catherine, Clarendon and St Ann are benefitting from enhanced infrastructure, information systems and improved processes under this programme.