GROUND has been broken for the construction of a brand-new, state-of-the-art Brown’s Town Health Centre in St Ann.

The project is expected to cost approximately $1 billion.

In preparation for the construction, services at the Brown’s Town Health Centre were temporarily relocated in March, to the Brown’s Town Community College campus in Huntley.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony held on Friday, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton described the development as transformative for the town and the wider parish.

“This building here is going to be demolished totally. We’re going to extend the landmass further beyond the fence and when it’s completed, you’re going to have a comprehensive facility with more space, more doctors, more nurses, diagnostic services, [and] pharmacy. It’s just going to be a beautiful facility,” he stated.

The project forms part of the Government’s Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP), which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, and the Government of Jamaica.

Under the programme, 13 health facilities islandwide are being upgraded or newly constructed to deliver expanded and improved services.

Tufton commended the collaborative efforts of stakeholders, including Member of Parliament for St Ann Northwestern Krystal Lee, the St Ann Municipal Corporation, and the North-East Regional Health Authority.

“It’s a real good day for health care in this parish and in this particular town. We ask the community to just give support. Good things [are happening] in public health — we just need to continue the course until we get completion,” he emphasised.

Once completed, the modern centre will offer enhanced primary care, including laboratory and diagnostic services, expanded staffing, a fully equipped pharmacy, and support for electronic health records — a major component of the HSSP.