Transforming primary care: Health centres in West Kingston, Clarendon ‘go green’

THE UNITED Nations in Jamaica through technical cooperation with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) have retrofitted seven primary healthcare centres to enable improved access to water and reduced energy costs.

The initiative, made possible through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, enhanced primary healthcare centres in West Kingston and Clarendon, by introducing rainwater harvesting infrastructure to support sanitation for flushing toilets, and the separation of potable water for handwashing and drinking. Solar pumps were also installed to reduce energy costs during normal operations and increase resilience during periods of natural disasters.

The seven health centres benefiting from the retrofitting were the Denham Town Health Centre in West Kingston, and Mocho, Cumberland, Moravia, Tweedeside, Frankfield and James Hill health centres in Northern Clarendon. Key staff at each health centre and at the parish level received targeted training to maintain the systems implemented and ensure their sustainability.

The Denham Town Health Centre benefited from the installation of two 2000-gallon rainwater tanks on its grounds, the installation of a 1000-gallon rainwater tank on the roof, the separation of plumbing for flush and janitorial services from the regular faucets, the installation of solar pumps, and mosquito screening on tanks. Additionally, the installation of pedal faucets and water-efficient toilets improved sanitation at the centre. The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation will conduct quarterly building inspections to ensure the sustainability of the infrastructure installed.

“Prior to the transformation of the health centre, we experienced water shortages. It meant that we had a line of clients waiting out the door because we could not open until we had water in the building. We frequently bought water to run the clinic, but this wasn’t sustainable,” shared Nurse Lillian Johnson, Public Health Nurse at Denham Town Health Centre.

When asked about the impact of the retrofitting activities, Nurse Lillian said, “The new taps are amazing. They can be operated by foot to reduce touching and the number of taps has increased, allowing us to have a tap near each medical section. We as nurses are really pleased with the access to water and so are our patients.”

“Health centres play an important role in the health of communities. They are the first stops for immunisation of young children, family planning, testing and support for non-communicable diseases, hospital aftercare and general access to health professionals. We at PAHO/WHO are committed to supporting their environmental sustainability and improving access to health services as we manage the impact of climate change on health,” said Ian Stein, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Representative for Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

The transformation of the seven primary care health centres across the island is part of a larger United Nations Human Security Joint Programme to address the complex challenges such as poverty, unemployment, land degradation, poor health and reduced social cohesion, which affect human security in select communities in West Kingston and Northern Clarendon. The programme is guided by the Government of Jamaica, the United Nations in Jamaica in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme, the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Pan American Health Organisation and UN Women, which were the corresponding implementing agencies.