The health minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, says repairs to hospitals damaged by Hurricane Melissa are set to be completed by the end of October.
He gave the update at the weekly post-cabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday.
The health ministry announced in June that close to $4 billion would be spent on repairs to medical facilities impacted by Melissa.
Shaloy Smikle reports.
Category 5 Melissa left at least seven major hospitals and 25 health centres across several parishes damaged.
The health minister says repairs to Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth, which suffered the most damage, are almost fully complete.
Dr. Christopher Tufton says repairs to Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland, which also suffered major roof loss, flooding, storm surge damage, and wrecked infrastructure, are also almost complete.
The minister adds that repair work is progressing smoothly at Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny, which lost sections of its roof and suffered heavy damage to labs and wards.
He says repairs to the main ward are 90 per cent complete, while full restoration is expected to be completed by the end of October or early November.
And at Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover, which suffered structural and operational damage, repair work has been completed on the staff quarters and outpatient department.
Dr. Tufton notes that the rehabilitation effort on the maternity ward at the facility is at 85 per cent completion.
And the minister says in just a few weeks, the main facility at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James will be officially open.
The hospital, which has been undergoing redevelopment work since 2019, experienced significant roof and structural losses from Melissa.
