Jamaica’s old capital got a boost in its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as a field hospital was erected over the weekend, located on the compound of the existing Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine.

The field hospital, which was donated by the United Sates Government through the US Embassy in Jamaica, was previously set up at the National Chest Hospital in St. Andrew. However, it has since been redeployed to the Spanish Town Hospital.

The facility is currently equipped with 40 beds but has the capacity to hold 60 beds. It comes equipped with all the gadgets for power, air conditioning and all the other support infrastructure that is required to operate a field hospital.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton toured the relocated facility on Friday (April 9), before officially opening it for patient care. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tufton reported that at present the Spanish Town hospital has over 70 positive cases being treated.

Over 70 COVID positive cases being treated at Spanish Town Hospital

“It has taken up a lot of the bed space, and as you know, St. Catherine is one of the parishes where we have seen high positivity rates, so this facility has come at a very important time to deal with the overflow of cases that we have,” the Health and Wellness Minister explained.

Senior Medical Officer at the hospital, Dr Jacqueline James advised that immediately after the tour, COVID-19 patients would be brought into the field hospital.

According to Dr. James, “this field hospital will serve us very well. Our number of [cases] here is very high… but we have a very strong and resilient team that has really pulled together to serve the people of St. Catherine…Our mission here is really to offer all the care needed to any patient who turns up.”

Over the last year, the hospital has assigned two additional wards to COVID-19 patients and has transformed the accident and emergency area into a ward to meet the increased demand.