Preparations for the start of the multibillion-dollar redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine are at an advanced stage, with groundbreaking expected in the next two months.

“I anticipate that we will see ground-breaking for the main building within the next two months or so. We have gotten all the approvals from our multilateral partners that we are working with. It now has to work its way through the Cabinet, which I am sure, will be excited about pushing ahead and you will see some active work taking place,” Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said.

Tufton was addressing journalists during a visit to the St Catherine-based hospital on Wednesday, August 9.

The redevelopment project will transform the Spanish Town Hospital into a six- storey, 100-bed facility comprising seven operating theatres, a new accident and emergency centre, a new pharmacy and laboratory with diagnostics and other support services.

Importantly, the upgrade will result in an expansion of medical services at the hospital to include cardiology, haematology/oncology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology (ENT). Upon completion of the upgrade, the hospital will be able to accommodate more than the 600 patients seen daily, and process more than the 2,000 lab tests that are currently conducted per day.

During the visit, Tufton toured a building that has been newly retrofitted and repurposed to accommodate existing facilities on the grounds of the hospital. It will clear the way for the start of the construction of the six-storey complex.

Equipped with modern equipment, including a new laboratory testing machine, the building includes pharmacy services, spaces for medication collection and storage, waiting and meeting areas, staff offices, bathroom facilities, among others.

Tufton said that the facilities are being put in place to create a comfortable environment for staff and patients accessing the hospital services during the period of transition.