The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) has assembled a team to provide additional oversight of the multi-billion-dollar Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) renovation project.

The MBCCI to partner with the CRH Oversight Committee as rehabilitation work continues at the Type-A institution in St James.

Oral Heaven, newly elected MBCCI president, made the disclosure while addressing journalists at the hospital last week.

He advised that the MBCCI team will work closely with CRH Oversight Committee, chaired by Dr Jeffery East, to ensure the timely completion of the hospital that is projected to be fully rehabilitated in the next 24 to 30 months.

Additionally, the team is to work with the management of the hospital to provide support, as it relates to equipment and whatever else is needed.

Funds raised for the hospital

The MBCCI president disclosed that the chamber recently raised over J$5 million from a telethon to be used to purchase hospital equipment.

“There are some things that we will be purchasing and for transparency, want to ensure that whatever list we get from the hospital, and whatever funds we spend, it is in the public to show whatever we do for the hospital,” Heaven told local media.

For his part, Dr Derek Harvey, senior medical officer of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, outlined that the hospital is in need of several equipment for the paediatrics and accident and emergency (A&E) departments, as well as the laboratory.

Among the issues, Harvey pointed out that the A&E department needs stretchers or trolleys to transport persons between the various departments, noting that not only is there a need for children on the wards, but children should also be housed in the A&E department.

Harvey explained further, “there are some important small items which are needed for the lab, and we have supplied those items [to MBCCI] to see if they can be purchased for the lab to improve the quality of the care we deliver here.”