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Rollington Town needs renovation, equipment

Published:Saturday | July 13, 2019 | 12:06 AM

An elderly man exits  the  Rollington Town Health Centre , in St 
Andrew.
An elderly man exits the Rollington Town Health Centre , in St Andrew.

As with many of the island’s health centres, the one at Rollington Town in Kingston is in need of a facelift.

The more than 30-year-old structure at 37A Giltress Street, Kingston 2, provides primary healthcare services to more than 20,000 persons who live in the surrounding communities.

Approximately 42 persons visit the Type Three health facility on a daily basis for curative, dressings, dental as well as maternal and child-health services.

However, due to the inadequate resources of the Government, the Rollington Town Health Centre is unable to effect much-needed repairs to the structure and its surroundings, or procure a variety of much-needed medical equipment.

The health centre is among 101 clinics across the island that the Government is seeking contributions from philanthropic individuals and organisations to effect the necessary improvements in order to deliver healthcare to the public at global health standards.

Through the Adopt-a-Clinic Programme, which is administered by the Health for Life and Wellness Foundation, the Ministry of Health is soliciting and streamlining these contributions that will be used to improve primary healthcare facilities across the island.

As a result, the Ministry of Health is seeking to identify persons or entities that can commit at least J$1 million annually over a three-to-five year period towards improving the facilities at the Rollington Town Health Centre.

At least seven health centres in rural Jamaica have already been adopted under the programme.

Courtney Cephas, the head of the Health for Life and Wellness Foundation, said the improvement works and new equipment would go a far way to enhancing the aesthetics of the healthcare facility, as well as improve the quality of the care provided to the public.