The Health Ministry is still aiming for completion of the Cornwall Regional Hospital’s redevelopment project this year, despite setbacks following Hurricane Melissa.

Portfolio Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton made the declaration during a tour of the St. James-based medical facility at the weekend.

The redevelopment endeavour, which includes the construction of the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, has been an ongoing and challenging undertaking for the Government, with repeated calls from the public and the opposition for full transparency over its expenditure and completion.

Last year, the project, which was contractually scheduled to be completed in April 2026, was given a new deadline of September 2026, due to the quantity of work being conducted.

When questioned about the project’s progress on Saturday, Dr.Tufton noted that the September timeline is likely to be impacted, as materials were damaged when the category 5 system made landfall last October.

Dr. Tufton explained that the hurricane also resulted in damage to areas of the facility already worked on.