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.

BY BILLEANE WILLIAMS

Observer writer williamsb@jamaicaobserver.com

HEALTH Minister Dr Christopher Tufton was advised by contractors Wednesday that the sheer walls of the ground floor of the Spanish Town Hospital will be done over the weekend.

Tufton was on a tour of the construction sites at Spanish Town Hospital and St Jago Park Health Centre on Wednesday.

“The pouring [of concrete for decking] will take approximately one day and once the pour is completed the next step is to build the upper floor. So what they are going to focus on is the ground floor within the next month or so. They are anticipating that by the middle of May we will be getting a crane on site,” said Orette Clarke, programme manager at Health Systems Strengthening Programme, which is overseeing the improvement of health-care infrastructure and services at 13 targeted facilities across the island.

Clarke, who was answering questions posed by Tufton about progress made on the site, said that some adjustments have been made to the project’s completion timeline which is currently being fine-tuned by the contractor and its technical team.

“As communicated in January 2024, the overall project should be completed within 40 months. [That is] 24 months for the construction, eight months for supplying equipment and placing them inside the building, and the remaining months is to operationalise the facility,” Clarke said.

In the meantime, the health minister said that although the pace of the project started slow because of design issues, he is pleased with the progress made by the team.

“There is huge difference between this and Cornwall Regional, and I have to reference Cornwall Regional. This is a greenfield site, meaning we are starting from scratch. There was no need to relocate, except the pharmacy and the lab, and as you can see next door we built a new pharmacy and a new lab.

“We have learnt a lot from the Cornwall Regional experience and so we put a lot of planning in it, led by the team here. Mr Clarke and his team and the contractors so far have complied. From that vantage point we are satisfied. We are comfortable with what is happening,” Tufton said.

The project is set to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.

The Spanish Town Hospital, the island’s largest Type B facility, is undergoing redevelopment valued at approximately $5.5 billion. The project involves constructing a state-of-the-art six-storey building spanning over 17,000 square metres. Once completed, the hospital will offer expanded services, including urology, oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry.

The facility will also feature advanced diagnostic services, multiple operating theatres, and a modern Accident and Emergency wing, all integrated with cutting-edge electronic health record systems.

Simultaneously, the St Jago Park Health Centre is being expanded and refurbished at a cost of approximately $704 million. The project includes constructing a new 634-square-metre building and renovating the existing 1,300-square-metre facility. Upon completion, the centre will provide enhanced services such as dentistry, mental health care, diabetic retinopathy screening, and laboratory services.