Construction work on a new $43-million, seven-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay is advanced, and should be completed in time for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, which begins on March 11.

This project forms part of a massive refurbishing programme, which is now under way at the Falmouth, and Cornwall regional hospitals in western Jamaica at a cost of some $330 million.

The facility is to replace the present two-bed ICU, which would seethe health care offerings of the hospital extensively enhanced.

New elevators

As part of the refurbishing project, work is ongoing at satisfactory levels, with the repainting of floors one, two and three, and the replacing of old and dilapidated windows on the entire structure. Work is also slated to commence shortly on the installation of new elevators.

Acting regional director of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Dr. Alex Konstantinov, said that based on the level of refurbishing now being carried out at the hospitals, the health facilities will be ready for the ICC Cricket World Cup next month.

"The new state-of-the-art seven-bed Intensive Care Unit at CRH is well-needed in the western area, as it currently caters to many patients outside the area, and to as far as Mandeville. This facility will definitely be of high quality, and as a high dependency unit, there would be need for adequate nursing and medical staff. Already we have started to recruit staff," said Dr. Konstantinov in an interview with JIS News.

He pointed out that refurbishing works on the two hospitals were thought of long before the idea of Cricket World Cup, as it was felt that improvements in the capabilities of these facilities, as well as the working environment and staff morale of all workers, was necessary.