Port Antonio residents will soon benefit from a health centre with greater protections against extreme weather conditions, while offering upgraded disability access and energy efficiency.
This is the first health care facility in Jamaica to be retrofitted in this phase of the Smart Health Care Facilities in the Caribbean project, financed by UKaid with support from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
Upgrades to the roof, doors and windows will mean the facility will meet hurricane resistant standards to ensure the health centre can withstand extreme weather events, while the inclusion of sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting, the installation of solar panels, energy-efficient AC units, will reduce operational costs and lower the carbon footprint of the facility.
The addition of adjust elevated areas to make the facility wheelchair accessible will increase access to vulnerable members of the community.
The value of the contract is US$1,332,288 and the contract was awarded by PAHO to Argo Development Studio Inc. with work scheduled to take 8 months with completion in July, 2021.
Building resilience
The record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has officially ended; however, the effects will be felt for some time to come. It was the most active on record with 30 named storms, 13 developed into hurricanes, and six further intensified into major hurricanes, with one, Hurricane Iota, attaining Category 5 strength.
The Caribbean is prone to the effects of major hazards such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods and with over two thirds of its hospitals located in areas of risk, therefore it is important for countries to implement mitigation measures to enable continued service delivery.
“Individuals, communities and entire populations alike, all want to have access to health care when they need it most - before, during and after any emergency and disaster strikes,” said Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse, PAHO Jamaica’s Health Emergencies Advisor. “This project ensures that through the systematic application of standards utilizing a Smart Tool Kit, Ministries of Health and partners will be able to conduct assessments of health care facilities in four components – structural, non-structural, functional and green.”
The expectation is that facilities will be safer and greener or ‘Smart’ at the end of the project, with a focus on increased protection from disasters and climate change.
In Jamaica, the four health care facilities being designed and retrofitted to Smart standards are St. Ann’s Bay, Port Antonio, Mandeville and Santa Cruz Health Centres. At least eight other Health Centres will have Smart interventions, to make them energy and water efficient with improvements such as increased water storage and installation of generators. This will make the facilities independently functional for at least five days if utility services are interrupted.
