New $200m health centre for Ocho Rios
Published:Tuesday | November 15, 2022 | 12:10 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
Health minister Christopher Tufton has announced plans for the construction of a new health centre for the resort town of Ocho Rios in St Ann at a cost of over $200 million.
The health centre is to be built on lands in Pineapple Place, and with the architectural drawing now being finalised, Tufton said construction is expected to begin next year.
The Ocho Rios Health Centre is one of 28 in St Ann, a figure that includes satellite and community centres. It is one of the busiest facilities, serving over 25,000 residents in 2021 from a service area that includes Ocho Rios, Buckfield, Pineapple, Mansfield Heights, Parry Town, Great Pond, Content Gardens, Beecher Town, Walkerswood, and Colgate among others.
Tufton made the announcement on Friday afternoon after a brief tour of the current health facility in Ocho Rios, which has been deemed too small to adequately house services needed by the communities.
Tufton acknowledged that the infrastructure to support the growing population has not been nearly enough.
“When this health centre was built back in the ‘60s, the population in these parts was approximately 20 to 25,000, and over time, the place has evolved into a tourism Mecca with significant additional capacity in residences, in tourism activity, in visitors, but the clinic has had only minor adjustments,” Tufton said.
The situation has led to frequent overcrowding of the facility and an underserved population in general.
He said the new health centre is to be built on acreage four times the size of the current facility and will offer several additional services including dentistry.
“In other words, this facility that is going to come is going to right-size the solution to the problem of 60,000, and growing, population. You’re talking about a $200-million-plus expansion. The money is there to get it done.” Tufton said.
He said the health centre is to be constructed under the IDB-GOJ Improving Health Resilience programme, which includes the upgrade of other health facilities in St Ann.
Marsha Smith, member of parliament, NE St Ann, in a brief comment, thanked the minister for the new health centre, expressing delight at what she described as “a wonderful upgrade”.