ST JAMES, Jamaica— The Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) redevelopment project has entered its third and final phase, which entails the building and installation of medical equipment and apparatus over the next 30 months.

The works started on October 16 and are expected to be completed in 2026.

The update was given by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton during a tour of the project on Tuesday.

“In this phase three, the designs are being finalised to incorporate all the internal components in the building. This includes the operating theatres, ward space, Accident and Emergency (A&E) facilities, records, administrative offices, and more,” Tufton said.

He said that the phased occupation of the main building will commence in April to mid-year 2024, while the development work continues.

“It is a phased occupation and the reason for that is that we can prioritise some of the areas that won’t suffer from infection prevention and control issues, and then we go into the more delicate areas in the final phase, such as operating theatres and so on,” he pointed out.

“So, the intention is to complete three or four areas in the CRH building and then we continue to build out over the next year after that to complete,” he added.

The redevelopment of CRH represents an investment totalling $14.6 billion.

READ: $3.6 billion more projected for Cornwall Regional Hospital redevelopment

Meanwhile, land adjacent to the hospital is being cleared to provide storage space for construction materials and to serve as the headquarters for the work teams overseeing both the CRH and the Western Children Adolescent Hospital.

The property is being leased from the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Giving an update on the progress of the children’s hospital, Dr Tufton said that the eighth floor is completed and “significant milestones have been achieved” on the first three floors, particularly in the construction of the A&E department and residential areas for medical staff.

He said that the next phase will be focused on installing the internal components.

“All of this (CRH and Western Children Adolescent Hospital) is a challenging undertaking, and I want to say to the people of Jamaica progress is being made. We are going to continue to [update the public] on what is happening so that people can have confidence in the process,” Minister Tufton pledged.

The tour was conducted with members of the Montego Bay business community to ensure transparency and foster a sense of collective responsibility in the ongoing development of the health facilities.