New male ward opens at Portland Infirmary
Published:Tuesday | March 14, 2023 | 1:10 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
A $55-million male dormitory with a capacity to house 40 wards was officially opened at the Portland Infirmary last Friday.
Construction work, which was started on the facility in 2019, was completed in February and follows on the heels of a similar exercise in November 2017, when the female dormitory was completed at a cost of $20 million.
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie lauded the National Housing Trust (NHT) for providing some funds for the project and the Portland Municipal Corporation, which spearhead the work.
The minister expressed satisfaction at “high-quality work on the part of the work crew”.
“This facility is built on a area that is – everybody see di terrain, so you know it is difficult – it’s a difficult place. The team from the ministry must be commended because around here was pure rock stone ... and they did a fantastic job in clearing it, and today, we are going to see the end result of that work,” he said at the opening ceremony.
McKenzie noted that some $3.8 million was spent to build a retaining wall to protect the residents and the property.
The new male dormitory replaces an older one, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, and is retrofitted with electronically powered reclining beds, bathrooms, water storage tanks, an emergency standby generator, a solar water heater, and a water-catchment area.
Some $5 million was spent to purchase furniture and equipment.
Portland Eastern Member of Parliament Ann-Marie Vaz acknowledged the need to provide assistance to the less fortunate and also to ensure that proper facilities are built to ensure the safety and well-being of wards of the State.
“For many years, our infirmary has provided essential and quality healthcare service to the most vulnerable members of our constituency. It has always been our commitment to provide the highest-quality care to all our residents, and the opening of this new ward, which has a capacity of 40 residents, is a testament to that commitment,” she said.