Renovation of male medical ward at Annotto Bay Hospital complete
ST MARY, Jamaica — Twenty-one patients in the male medical ward at the Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary, will now benefit from additional privacy and a significant improvement in the ward’s hygiene facilities, following recent renovation activities.
The project, valued at approximately $1.1 million, saw a complete overhaul of the patient bathrooms, showers, sluice room, and burn patient treatment room. It was completed by the Jamaica Producers Group (JP).
While sharing details on some of the improvements the hospital has been making to uplift their patients’ experience, CEO of the hospital, Marsha Lee, said the renovations were much needed.
“We have had to divert funds to meet additional needs of the hospital, and the assistance from JP has really improved the male medical ward.”
Lee was speaking during a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was held on Thursday, October 21, with the nurses on ward, representatives from Jamaica Producers Group and senior members of the Annotto Bay Hospital.
“In the past, we had many challenges as it relates to the comfort level of the patients on the ward, especially where bathroom facilities were concerned. So, I was really happy when we were approached by JP for this generous donation,” Lee continued.
Currently, the male medical ward functions as a dual medical ward serving surgical and medical patients.
“In this current climate where our hospitals have been under evident strain, we were moved to make this gesture to ensure that the Annotto Bay Hospital — which serves our 200+ team at JP Farms and the wider St Mary community — is better equipped to navigate this new national health challenge in addition to its daily load. For the patients, we wanted to provide a clean and comfortable environment that would help lift the spirits while they recover, and we wanted to ensure that the nurses were able to operate comfortably and efficiently,” explained Lisa Johnston, corporate affairs manager at Jamaica Producers Group.
The six-month renovation project included roofing and plumbing repairs, replacement of fixtures, repainting, installation of storage space and removal of outdated equipment.
