Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton says that the redevelopment of Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James, has reached a critical milestone, with more than 60 per cent of internal works now completed.

He provided the update during a tour of the 10 floors of the Type A institution last Saturday (July 5), as part of an assessment of the ongoing large-scale rehabilitation project.

Tufton told journalists that the project is advancing at a brisk pace, with a well-defined path to completion.

“I am comfortable with what is taking place. Each floor has work taking place on it and there is no doubt that everything in the building, outside of the concrete structure itself, is new,” he stated.

The minister indicated that the scope of works includes new internal framing, wall cladding tailored to accommodate specialised diagnostic equipment, and the installation of entirely new piping systems.

Tufton projected that the facility’s transformation will become increasingly visible in the coming months, with substantial completion of the renovations anticipated by early next year.

“Some interesting features… worth noting [are] that, when completed, the hospital will have 12 new operating theatres, the A&E (Accident and Emergency Department) will be twice the size of the previous one, a large dietary department to support both this hospital and the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, outpatient and clinic [area] that has more cubicles for more doctors [and] larger waiting areas,” he outlined.

“So, what you will end up having is a bigger hospital with more beds, operating theatres, more outpatient areas, larger pharmacy, bigger storage facilities, bigger maintenance, dietary and more,” the minister added.

Tufton stated that the feedback from hospital staff and the surrounding community has been positive, with a general sense of satisfaction regarding the progress of the redevelopment.

In the meantime, the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, also located in Montego Bay, is in its final stages of construction.

The 250-bed, seven-storey facility is nearing completion, with internal works advancing on ward spaces, window installations, and critical building systems.

Tufton indicated that work at both hospitals is progressing at a similar pace and is likely to be completed around the same time, an advantage given the shared services between the two institutions, including dietary support.

“So far, so good. I want to thank the team on the ground, the clinical team, the project management team, and the contractors; we’ll continue to monitor and provide an update to the country,” he said.