Government to acquire land for hospital in Portmore - Tufton

The Government is in the process of acquiring land in the Greater Bernard Lodge development in St Catherine to construct a Type C hospital, as Portmore moves closer to attaining parish status.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the disclosure on Wednesday while responding to questions from reporters following a tour of the Greater Portmore Health Centre, which is currently undergoing expansion.

“You do know that Portmore is under consideration for parish status, and we do need a hospital in Portmore,” Tufton said.

He continued: “We are going to be acquiring lands in the Greater Bernard Lodge development for a Type C hospital.”

The minister also indicated that additional health facilities in Portmore are being assessed for future upgrades and expansion as part of the Government’s broader health infrastructure development programme.

According to Tufton, the expansion of the Greater Portmore Health Centre, now approximately 65 per cent complete, is expected to be finished by mid-year.

Once completed, the facility will operate as a mini-hospital, delivering a wider range of health services to residents of Portmore and surrounding communities.

The health minister said the planned hospital and the ongoing expansion of existing health centres are expected to significantly improve access to healthcare for Portmore’s growing population.

- Ruddy Mathison

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.