Tufton says new hospitals will be built to withstand disasters
Key Points(5)
- Health Minister Christopher Tufton says the government is working to ensure that future public health facilities are built to withstand natural disasters, as Jamaica continues to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa.
- Speaking at the Southern Regional Health Authority’s Grand Awards Gala at Lover’s Leap in St.
- 8, Tufton said hospitals must remain safe and operational during national emergencies.
- “Hospitals are supposed to withstand disasters,” he said.
- “When a crisis hits, our citizens look to these facilities for safety, relief, and healing.
Health Minister Christopher Tufton says the government is working to ensure that future public health facilities are built to withstand natural disasters, as Jamaica continues to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa.
Speaking at the Southern Regional Health Authority’s Grand Awards Gala at Lover’s Leap in St. Elizabeth on Oct. 8, Tufton said hospitals must remain safe and operational during national emergencies.
“Hospitals are supposed to withstand disasters,” he said.
“When a crisis hits, our citizens look to these facilities for safety, relief, and healing. They cannot be vulnerable to the elements or compromised when they are needed most,” he added.
Tufton said Cabinet had approved a healthcare modernization and renewal plan to refurbish, upgrade and replace critical health infrastructure across the island.
As part of the plan, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has partnered with the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) to oversee the design and development of four new climate-resilient hospitals.
Under the arrangement, the ministry will lead clinical and technical planning, while NaRRA will manage construction delivery and site operations.
Two of the hospitals are planned for the Western Regional Health Authority, with one each for the South East Regional Health Authority and the Southern Regional Health Authority.
The plan also includes the phased redevelopment of Kingston Public Hospital, which will feature newly constructed medical and surgical towers.
Providing an update on hurricane recovery efforts, Tufton said the newly reconstructed surgical wards at Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth are expected to become fully operational by the end of October. The hospital’s main administrative building is scheduled for completion in November 2026.
The new Accident and Emergency Department at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James, is also expected to open by the end of October.
The awards gala recognized hundreds of healthcare workers from Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth who remained on the front lines during Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.
Tufton praised the workers for their resilience and dedication during the storm, describing their service as a source of national pride.
