Malvern Health Centre gets $54-M upgrade

The Malvern Health Centre in St Elizabeth has been officially reopened following a comprehensive $54-million upgrade under the Ministry of Health and Wellness' 'Operation Refresh' programme.

Portfolio minister Dr Christopher Tufton reopened the facility during a ceremony last Friday. The health centre, which now has just under 1,000 square feet of space, features new offices, an extended waiting area, a large records office, and dedicated spaces for public health inspectors. Additionally, there were renovations to the windows, doors, boundary walls, and parking facilities. The building has also been outfitted with an air-conditioning system, among other new fixtures and amenities, and the roof was reinforced to bolster the centre's resilience against natural disasters.

Tufton described the project as "[a] journey [that] has brought results, in terms of upgrading and modernising our facility under Operation Refresh." He said the initiative is aimed at revitalising Jamaica's healthcare system, by addressing long-standing deficiencies and inadequate patient services as well as modernising the provision and delivery of health services. Tufton indicated that under the initiative, approximately 100 health centres will be renovated over the next 18 months at a cost of $1 billion.

"The objective of this initiative is to enhance the attractiveness of our community health facilities," he added. The minister also advised that he had underscored the need for the installation of solar panels, "because we must be environmentally friendly."

"So the team has been looking at that and is doing that in a number of [health centres]. Bathroom facilities must be in good order and the staff, who are also very critical to the facility, must also have some basic amenities," he added.