Contract signed for construction of two more COVID-19 field hospitals

The Government is to invest some $199 million to construct two additional field hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The medical facilities are to be constructed at the Falmouth Public General Hospital in Trelawny and at St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Centre in Kingston, and will each have a capacity of 36 beds.

On Friday, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, broke ground and signed contracts for the construction of the two additional field hospitals.

The health minister also indicated that the Government is finalising plans for a mobile hospital from Canada, which will be placed somewhere in the central region of the country.

He argued that the field hospitals will add 150 beds to the 350 now in public hospitals for COVID-19 patients.

“We are adding an additional 150 beds for COVID-19. We already have some 350 beds in the traditional hospital facilities, and we believe that those numbers (150 beds), when completed, will give us the buffer that we need to respond to COVID-19 in a way that allows those who need hospital care to get hospital care,” said Tufton.

He warned, however, that if persons do not follow the rules to mitigate the spread of the virus, the demand will rise to more than the 500 beds.