Concerns raised around new Old Harbour Health Centre

The $489 million project, when complete, will possess the capacity to serve in excess of 200 people in a single day and meet the growing demand of the population up to the year 2041.

A comprehensive health centre is one tier below hospital status.

The impressive plans were highlighted last week at a virtual meeting of stakeholders hosted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and included the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), along with various community groups from Old Harbour, Greater Portmore and Spanish Town.

According to ministry officials, the essence of the meeting, which is the first in a series of consultations, is to:

• Sensitise stakeholders about the proposed renovation/construction works and its possible impacts
• Offer stakeholders the opportunity to share their opinions and canvass feedback to inform the environmental assessment, planning and design studies and implementation
• Identify impacts associated with the construction works
• Proposed alternatives and measures to avoid, reduce, mitigate, or compensate for the impacts

While there is general consensus regarding the need and timeliness of the health facility, residents raised a few concerns.

Stakeholders, many for the first time, were privy to an in-depth presentation surrounding the proposed construction works for all three health centres, as well as the Spanish Town Hospital.

For Old Harbour, the facility consists of a solitary exit and entrance point at East Street. But this residents were quick to point out will compound the traffic crisis in the town. It was suggested that another point of exit and entrance be facilitated at the back of the facility onto Walker's Road, but this ministry officials said is dependent on the outcome of scheduled meetings with residents of an informal settlement at the location.

“We looked at the site and we note that that's a concern as well for us,” admitted Patrick Hunter, project manager, support to health systems strengthening programme in the ministry. “There is at the back an informal community, we don't know if we can have access to that.”

The matter is being discussed with Member of Parliament Everald Warmington.

As comprehensive health centres, both Old Harbour and Greater Portmore facilities will have the capacity to undertake a wider range of services, including a mental clinic with current data showing four in 10 Jamaicans likely to be diagnosed with some kind of mental health condition. 

A family and child health care clinic will also be offered, noted Glaspole Christie, a member of the IDB project executing unit inside the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2024 and should offset some of workload at the Spanish Town and May Pen hospitals, resulting in improve service in terms of patient care and delivery time.

At the same time there were strong calls by educators Lynton Weir, principal, Old Harbour High and Jennifer Hylton-Lee, president of the All-Hellshire Leadership Council, for serious consideration to the possibility of establishing a:

• Holding area for students in the event of a medical emergency
• Child guidance clinic to facilitate students at the primary and secondary level
• 24/7 run facility, and
• The impact of the Lions Civic Centre whenever events are held there

With some 40 years of service in education Hylton-Lee, a retired principal, argued strongly that a child guidance clinic is needed.

Matters concerning security of the project were raised too however, commander in charge of St Catherine South Police Division, Supt. Christopher Phillips, said those will be dealt with at the high command level.

The development and modernizing of the health facilities is in keeping with the population growth along the island’s south coast particularly between May Pen and Spanish Town, Hunter said, while noting growth figures were used by a team from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to assist with the designs.

“They have done the statistics and a lot of the data shows that this will lessen the load at hospitals,” said Hunter.

As the country moves toward improving the quality of service in the health sector stakeholders were also informed of plans to digitize the system. This would allow persons to visit any health centre without the need to re-register at the facility they are visiting at the time. The viability of telemedicine is being assessed as well, but its adoption will be determined by amendments to the country’s privacy laws.

Mr Hunter said: “It is in consideration. We are developing an electronic health record platform, we are strengthening our ICT infrastructure for 105 facilities islandwide and that will allow for what you called telemedicine or telehealth to become realistic in Jamaica."

The issues raised and recommendations proffered will be summarized and tabled for review noted social scientist and moderator Nicole Hayles-West.

“We are still in the design phase and we hope to start construction by late next year,” Hunter noted.