MANCHIONEAL, Portland — Hearing Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton saying Government was scouting land on which to house a hospital planned for Portland, United Kingdom citizen and public health Nurse Elaine Linzi last Thursday offered up unused property she owns in the parish. She now works at Manchioneal Health Centre in Portland.

“There seems to be a challenge re identifying a suitable area for the hospital and I’m offering you my land. I have five acres,“ she told Tufton as guests, gathered for the opening of Katus Blakey Dental Clinic in Manchioneal, listened keenly.

”Think out of the box and not always think [about only] Port Antonio. We have wonderful places right here in the east — flat, accessible, cool. All you need is electricity, water, and staff. It is between Kensington and Rural Hill,” Linzi added.

The health minister welcomed the offer, and asked for a round of applause for Linzi.

“It’s a good offer. Send us a note and… all of the team will look at it. The truth is, there’s a lot that goes into building a facility, recognising the needs of the parish in its totality. It’s not necessarily the capital; it could be anywhere on the outskirts… I’m just thinking of a convenient location” said the minister.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton extending gratitude to public health Nurse Elaine Linzi for her offer of land to build a new hospital in Portland, during last Thursday’s opening of Katus Blakey Dental Clinic in Manchioneal.

“Government is committed and have started a process with land identification. Over the next year we’ll give an update as to where we are to give you a hospital commensurate with the development of the parish,” he promised.

As Tufton noted, the existing hospital in Port Antonio is no longer able to meet the needs of the parish. He pointed out that earlier in the week, Member of Parliament for Portland Eastern Isat Buchanan had raised the issue in the House.

“The truth is, the demand on the facility is higher than the facility’s capacity to deliver. The location of the facility is a problem, because it has no space for expansion. The access to the facility is a challenge, especially when you have an emergency,” he said.

Tufton also pointed to the challenge being faced by many expectant mothers who now have to seek medical care at Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary.

“We have to find a way to ensure that we develop our health services in keeping with what is required and the growth and the future prospects of the parish,” said Tufton.

Ahead of Linzi’s offer he indicated that talks are under way with Port Authority of Jamaica, which has plans for a development that is being worked on. He said there have also been discussions with the North East Regional Health Authority, National Land Agency, and “the Urban Development Corporation because they are the largest repository of land”, and there has been a suggestion that he should have a discussion with the College of Agriculture, Science, and Education “because they have a lot of land”.

“We’re going to do some sort of comparison to see what is available and what is the most suitable,” said Tufton.

He added that the Government would draw on lessons learned from projects such as Cornwall Regional and the Children’s Hospital in Montego Bay, as well as work done at Black River, Spanish Town, Falmouth, and Kingston Public hospitals.

“I’m here to announce to you that we appreciate and understand what is coming for Portland. We know that health services have to be improved, and we’re making provisions; we will keep you and your representatives abreast as to the progress. I’m hoping that during the course up to the end of this financial year, maybe sometime in the new year… we should at least have some idea as to where that is,” Tufton shared.