MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA — A major overhaul of the Montego Bay Type Five Health Centre is officially underway, with plans now in motion to dramatically expand the facility’s footprint and services. The announcement signals a long-awaited upgrade for one of western Jamaica’s busiest public health outposts.
The site — originally opened in 1993 — has become severely overburdened, serving hundreds of patients daily without sufficient space or infrastructure to accommodate growing medical demand. A strategic land acquisition now sets the stage for a full-scale transformation.
New Infrastructure to Anchor Future Healthcare Delivery
The Government has secured a binding agreement to purchase the adjoining property next to the health centre, clearing a critical hurdle toward breaking ground. The newly acquired land will house a five-storey administrative tower and multi-bay parking lot, while the existing buildings will be repurposed into modern clinical spaces.
Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton confirmed that the administrative offices currently occupying the main centre will be relocated into the new tower — freeing up the older blocks to be retrofitted as fully functional outpatient wings.
The upgrade, he says, will allow the ministry to “reconfigure the entire complex into a properly zoned, professionally laid-out facility” while tackling the longstanding bottlenecks that plague service delivery.
Pre-Construction Phase to Occupy 2025
With legal formalities and site planning now underway, the next year will focus on architectural design, procurement, and technical assessments. Dr. Tufton noted that the government is treating 2025 as a “pre-construction” year, aimed at delivering a fully shovel-ready project by 2026.
Heavy construction is expected to begin in the final quarter of 2026 or early 2027, barring any significant delays. The timeline represents one of the most concrete commitments made to date regarding the overhaul of Montego Bay’s health infrastructure.
Strategic Location Unlocks Potential
The expansion hinges on the inclusion of the long-standing Montego Bay Ice Factory property, which sits adjacent to the existing health centre. Local health officials had previously hinted at ongoing negotiations regarding the site, and the finalization of purchasing agreements marks a pivotal step forward.
Officials believe the additional square footage will not only relieve congestion but enable the facility to broaden its scope of services, supporting both primary care and specialized outreach programs.
A Project Years in the Making
Plans to modernize the Type Five Health Centre have circulated for years, with officials repeatedly acknowledging the site’s constraints. Now, with land secured and political will aligned, the path is clear for Montego Bay to receive a much-needed health infrastructure facelift.
