ST ANN, Jamaica — Ground was officially broken to begin construction of a health centre in the community of Exchange in St Ann on Friday.

The just over $39-million health centre will be a Type 2 facility offering services, including maternal and child health, environmental health, mental health, dental health, health education, nutrition, and curative services.

“The scope of work includes the construction of a 3,500-square-foot building to include sewage disposal, parking facilities and perimeter fencing,” a release from the Ministry of Health said Saturday.

Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, said residents of the communities of Exchange as well as Eltham, Mile End, Tatch Hill, Union, Four Road, Lodge, Marvin’s Park, Hyatt’s Field, White River, and Upton will no longer have to go all the way to Ocho Rios to access primary health care services.

“Our priorities under the Vision 2030 National Development Plan include building a holistic health care system to achieve the goal of a healthy and stable population,” said Dr Ferguson. “We believe that there are tremendous benefits to be achieved by focusing on primary health care which can increase the life expectancy of our population.

“In addition, by encouraging persons to use the services that are closer to their communities, we will be reducing the patient load at hospitals that are oftentimes overcrowded,” Dr Ferguson said.

The contract, which was awarded to NR Diaram Construction Limited, was signed in March for the work to begin on the facility. The work is expected to be completed in six months.

Funding for the project is being provided by the CHASE Fund and the National Health Fund.