Approximately 10 billion now invested in St Catherine health facilities under HSSP
Portmore, St Catherine – The Ministry of Health & Wellness, through the Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP), today signed contracts and broke ground for the expansion of the Greater Portmore Health Centre in St Catherine, culminating a series of groundbreakings for construction works to improve the healthcare infrastructure in St Catherine.
The latest expansion comes in response to a steady increase in patient visits to the Portmore facility over the years, and the urgent need for larger, more modern facilities. The new 1,252-square-meter building will transform the current Type 3 facility into a Type 5 (comprehensive) primary healthcare centre, providing a wider range of services, including oral rehydration, laboratory services, an isolation room, an X-ray room, treatment and procedure rooms, an asthma bay, diabetic retinopathy screening, and physiotherapy with examination and exercise rooms.
This project represents an investment of JM $660 million, covering construction, equipment, and furnishings. Funding for this is provided primarily by the European Union, as part of their investment grant into the HSSP, with the Government of Jamaica covering the cost of biomedical equipment and furniture. Construction will be undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), with completion expected in 2026.
The expanded facility is designed to reduce the need for Portmore residents to travel to Spanish Town or Kingston for primary healthcare services, significantly enhancing access to high-quality care close to home.
Earlier this year, ground was broken for a new six-story building at the Spanish Town Hospital, also in the parish. In October, the team broke ground for the mobilisation of works on a brand new comprehensive facility for Old Harbour. Two weeks ago ground was broken for the expansion and renovation of St Jago Park Comprehensive Health Centre. Together, along with the implementation of systems to improve efficiency in the facilities, these projects represent an investment of approximately JM $10 billion into the parish’s healthcare infrastructure.
The HSSP, launched in 2018, is committed to improving the management and delivery of healthcare services across Jamaica, with a focus on preventing and managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The programme is supported by a US $50 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), USD $87 million in funding from the Government of Jamaica, and the European Union’s USD $10 million grant.
A total of 13 facilities – three hospitals and ten health centres – across the island are benefitting from enhanced infrastructure, information systems and improved processes under the HSSP, which is expected to run until 2029.