KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — A total of 14 projects valued at over $740 million are slated to be completed by the Ministry of Health for the 2018/19 financial year.

Portfolio Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, made the disclosure during his Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives today under the theme ‘Taking Responsibility’.

The priority projects listed to be completed are equipping of the St Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston, expansion and equipping of the Princess Margaret Hospital in St Thomas, upgrading of the elevators and the dietary departments at the Kingston Public and Spanish Town Hospitals, completion of a cardiac unit for the Bustamante Hospital for Children, and installation of medical gas at the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland.

Others projects include upgrading of the sewage plant and refurbishing of the Stony Hill Health Centre, St Andrew; infrastructure and roof repairs to the maternity/ delivery ward at Chapelton Hospital in Clarendon; procurement of critical equipment for health centres across the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA); and upgrading of the Spanish Town infirmary in partnership with the St Catherine Municipal Corporation to address the long-stay patients at the Spanish Town Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dr Tufton noted that last year, nine “important projects” valued at $422 million were completed to address the infrastructural needs of health facilities.

They are the acquisition of trucks and infrastructural improvement at the Waste Management Treatment Plant, renovation of the Grange Hill Health Centre, Westmoreland; procurement of two mental health buses; roof repairs at the Mandeville Regional Hospital, Manchester; renovation of staff quarters and demolition of old structure at the Buff Bay Community Health Centre in Portland; and renovation and expansion of the Linstead Public Hospital Accident and Emergency and Administrative Departments.

The ministry also completed phase-two upgrading works at the Isaac Barrant Centre of Excellence in St Thomas.