This is the latest update from Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, who welcomed the progress as he toured the facility today.

The construction teams have completed site preparation, demolition, and foundation works, with the main structural elements now in place, including walls and columns. Roofing works are approximately 75 per cent complete, while internal works have advanced to rough casting and rendering, with ceiling installation nearing completion.

Engineering services such as electrical, plumbing, sanitation, and fire safety systems, is currently underway and approximately 35 per cent complete. The next phase will focus on tiling, painting, and the installation of windows and doors, as well as landscaping and retrofitting with tools and medical equipment.

When completed, the expanded health centre will offer a wide range of services, including laboratory services, X-ray, oral rehydration, isolation facilities, treatment and procedure rooms, an asthma bay, diabetic retinopathy screening, and physiotherapy services with dedicated examination and exercise rooms.

Support spaces will include administrative offices, staff lounges, training rooms, a conference room, and nurses’ stations to support both service delivery and workforce development.

The tour was attended by key stakeholders including Mr Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union in Jamaica, whose organisation is the primary funder of the construction works through an EU investment grant. The expansion project is being delivered under the Health Systems Strengthening

Programme (HSSP) as part of a broader initiative to modernise Jamaica’s public health infrastructure.

This health centre expansion represents an estimated investment of JMD 660 million, with construction funded primarily through the European Union grant, and additional

support from the Government of Jamaica for furniture, equipment, and sewage works. Construction is being carried out by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Once finished, the expansion will upgrade the existing facility from a Type 3 to a Type 5 comprehensive health centre, which indicates a significant increase in service capacity.

This will improve healthcare delivery in the Greater Portmore area and reduce pressure on nearby hospital, such as Spanish Town Hospital.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, welcomed the progress, as he gave an update on a tour of the facility today.

“So far, the team has finished preparing the site and building the foundation. The main structure is now up, with walls and columns in place,” Tufton said. “The team has finished preparing the site and building the foundation. The main structure is now up, with walls and columns in place. Work has also started on the plumbing and electrical systems, and the roof is 60 per cent complete. The team will now be moving to begin tiling work, and completing the timber roofs.”

The Minister added that finishes, including rendering and plastering, are in progress. “After this, the team will commence activities like the installation of windows and doors, painting, landscaping, and so on,” he told reporters on location.

The project remains on schedule for completion in the first half of this year. Once construction is finished, the HSSP and South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) teams will oversee retrofitting the facility with staff, furniture, modern medical tools, and the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, e-Care.

Located on East Street in Old Harbour, the 2,000-square-metre facility will replace the existing Type 3 centre that has outgrown its space. The new centre will be equipped to serve up to 10,000 patients per month, offering a wide range of primary healthcare services, including pharmacy, laboratory, ECG, phlebotomy, X-ray, physiotherapy, and screenings for ophthalmology and audiometry. It will also feature dedicated areas for dentistry, mental health, and maternal and child health services.

The project represents an investment of almost JMD 1 billion, covering construction, medical equipment, furniture, and an on-site wastewater treatment plant.

Funding for the construction is primarily provided through the European Union’s grant to the HSSP, while sewage works, furniture and equipment are being procured through the Government of Jamaica investment.

The project, which is being carried out under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP),  has successfully concluded Phase Two of the foundation works, and work is now advancing to the construction of the ground and first floors, which are expected to be completed by the beginning of the new year.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr the Hon. Christopher Tufton, toured the site and expressed confidence in the continued progress.

“So far, the team has completed the second phase of the foundation, which paves the way for vertical construction to begin,” the Minister remarked. “The foundation is a very large and complex structure that has required multiple steps over the last year, such as excavation, compaction, termite treatment, steel work, waterproofing, and several concrete pours to ensure the highest quality footing for this massive building.”

He continued: “Now that we’re fully out of the ground and advancing to the construction of the ground floor and first floor, we expect to see walls going up rapidly for the rest of this year and throughout 2026.”

Upon completion, the new six-storey building will house a range of modern clinical and diagnostic services, including an Accident and Emergency wing, radiology (MRI, CT, X-ray), outpatient services, operating theatres, specialty wards, and the integrated electronic health records (EHR) system, e-Care, that is being piloted under HSSP.

Orett Clarke, Programme Manager for the HSSP, noted that the project team has put stringent measures in place to mitigate noise and dust pollution, and will continue to do so as works progress.

Representatives from the management team at Spanish Town Hospital and other key stakeholders in attendance confirmed that so far there have been no major disruptions to traffic or the Hospital’s operations since the beginning of construction, and are hoping to continue on the same trajectory for the remainder of the project.

The redevelopment is valued at approximately JMD 5.5 billion, and is being funded through the HSSP via allocations from the Government of Jamaica, with oversight and support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

This project is one of four facilities in St Catherine under HSSP, along with the development of three comprehensive health centres: Old Harbour, Greater Portmore, and St Jago Park. Construction works at these three health centres are all on track for completion next year, with Old Harbour currently being the furthest advanced at 52 per cent complete.

Programme Manager for the HSSP, Orett Clarke, welcomed the progress, as he gave an update on the facility today.

“So far, the team has finished preparing the site and building the foundation. The main structure is now up, with walls and columns in place,” Clarke said. “Work has also started on the plumbing and electrical systems, and the roof is about 60 per cent complete.”

Clarke added that finishes, including rough casting and rendering, have started. “After this, the team will commence activities like the installation of windows and doors, painting, landscaping, and so on,” he said.

The project remains on schedule for completion in the first half of next year. Once construction is finished, the HSSP and South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) teams will oversee retrofitting the facility with staff, furniture, modern medical tools, and the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, e-Care.

Located on East Street in Old Harbour, the 2,000-square-metre facility will replace the existing Type 3 centre that has outgrown its space. The new centre will be equipped to serve up to 10,000 patients per month, offering a wide range of primary healthcare services, including pharmacy, laboratory, ECG, phlebotomy, X-ray, physiotherapy, and screenings for ophthalmology and audiometry. It will also feature dedicated areas for dentistry, mental health, and maternal and child health services.

The project represents an investment of almost JMD 1 billion, covering construction, medical equipment, furniture, and an on-site wastewater treatment plant.

Funding for the construction is primarily provided through the European Union’s grant to the HSSP, while sewage works, furniture and equipment are being procured through the Government of Jamaica investment.

The facilities to benefit under this engagement are May Pen West (Denbigh) Health Centre and Mocho Health Centre in Clarendon, along with the St. Ann’s Bay Health Centre and St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital.

Signed on May 15, 2025, at the ministry’s offices in New Kingston, the contract forms part of the developments under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP). The contracts were signed by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, and Lead Architect at Form Architects Limited, Damian Edmond. The signing was witnessed by several other key ministry and local representatives.

Speaking at the signing, Tufton said: “These facilities serve thousands of Jamaicans every year, and they are essential to our delivery of both preventive and curative services. As such, the design phase is crucial – it will ensure that we create modern, efficient, and climate-resilient health spaces that support quality care, improve staff workflow, and enhance patient outcomes.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Form Architects Limited will be responsible for preparing comprehensive architectural and engineering designs, supporting the development of Bills of Quantities, technical specifications, and cost estimates, and assisting with the processes for obtaining building permits and tendering for construction works. The contractor will also provide technical assistance during the implementation phase to ensure alignment with approved plans and standards.

“This contract represents a critical investment by the Ministry, through the HSSP, in the future of healthcare delivery for these communities,” said Orett Clarke, Programme Manager for the HSSP. “It moves us one step closer to making these four healthcare facilities more modern, functional and accessible to the citizens they serve.”

Clarke also noted that the expansion works will allow for a wider range of services to be provided at these facilities, and for better integration of the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, e-Care. E-Care is now fully implemented in all 13 HSSP facilities.

HSSP was launched in 2018 and is designed to support the management and delivery of healthcare services across Jamaica, with a focus on preventing and managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The programme operates with USD $87 million in funding from the Government of Jamaica, a US $50 million loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and a USD $10 million grant from the European Union.

A total of 13 facilities – three hospitals and ten health centres – in St Catherine, Clarendon and St Ann are benefitting from enhanced infrastructure, information systems and improved processes under this programe.