The roof of the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James has been fully restored just three weeks after being destroyed by Hurricane Melissa.
The project was funded by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders.
The group said Jamaican contractors repaired 1434 square metres of roofing.
This marks a significant milestone in the recovery plan and allows the hospital to resume minimal operating capacity in selected wards.
Hurricane Melissa caused extensive damage to the facility, with 81% of the hospital’s total roof surface damaged or blown off.
Critical areas, including accident and emergency, maternal health, the laboratory and the nursery were affected, leading to severe flooding and rendering many parts of the hospital in-operable.
Working alongside the Pan-American Health Organization, emergency authorities, CRH management, Western Regional Health Authority and local contractors, Doctors Without Borders organised and funded the reconstruction effort.
Emergency Coordinator Estifanos Mengitsu said the repairs will allow the authorities to focus on restoring the hospital to its pre-Melissa capacity.
Doctors Without Borders is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health to identify other damaged health facilities and begin reconstruction as soon as possible.
