Clarke, Buchanan want major Port Antonio Hospital upgrade
Published:Tuesday | April 29, 2025 | 12:09 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
PORT ANTONIO, Portland:
Junior Spokesperson on Health and Wellness Jesse James Clarke has praised the cleanliness and dedicated staff at the Port Antonio Hospital, but emphasised the urgent need to upgrade the ageing facility to meet the growing demands of citizens
Clarke toured the hospital on Monday, alongside People’s National Party (PNP) prospective candidate for Portland Eastern, Isat Buchanan.
He noted that the hospital, which is approximately 80 years old, is no longer adequate for the needs of the community.
”It’s a small space. The population has outgrown the space that they currently have now. We want to see this hospital being upgraded to a Type A hospital, so that it can give us some of the other services that are needed for the population,” Clarke said.
He argued that every parish deserves a Type A hospital to ensure equitable access to advanced medical care, including dialysis and mammogram.
“We need a healthy population in order to drive growth; and when you upgrade the facility to a Type A, you also could be getting more space for some of the other departments, for example, the maternity ward,” he added.
Exceptional performance
Despite the facility’s size constraints, Clarke commended the staff for their exceptional performance.
“I am very impressed with the staff here in terms of their workload that they are able to manage, and the quality work they are putting out. As you can see, the facility is extremely clean. The space is small, but it is well clean,” he said.
Currently, Port Antonio Hospital is the only hospital in Portland. However, the parish recently saw the opening of the Buff Bay District Health Centre, approximately 18 miles away. Built at a cost of $300 million by the National Health Fund, the new centre offers services in asthma care, trauma, and physiotherapy.
Buchanan, who toured several wards during the visit – including the male surgical, female, maternity, and paediatric wards – echoed Clarke’s sentiments, noting that the staff have done well with limited resources.
“The reality is, though, that we need to think about upgrading the hospital to a Type A hospital, “he said. “Anything less would be an attempt to disenfranchise the people of Portland. I am demanding that immediate attention be given to Portland Eastern and the Port Antonio Hospital. Space is one of the main issues affecting this facility.”