Better health care a reality for Darlow residents

RESIDENTS OF Darlow and surrounding districts from Rock to Eden in Clarendon will soon be able to enjoy the return of regular visits from a doctor or family nurse practitioner, along with the existing services of maternal and child health, following refurbishing of the Darlow Health Centre in the parish.

The National Health Fund (NHF) provided a grant of $4.9 million to completely reroof the building, repaint, tile, install new windows, doors and cupboards, do major electrical works, as well as fencing the health centre property.

Health Minister Rudyard Spencer, guest speaker at the recent reopening, also lauded the installation of a ramp to facilitate access to the building by persons with disability.

Pearnel Charles, member of parliament for North Central Clarendon, who also spoke at the opening, said he was happy to know the elderly from surrounding communities would soon able to attend clinic at Darlow for medical assistance rather than travel long distances. He encouraged the citizens to keep the health centre as clean and pretty as it was on the day of the function. The paving of a portion of the yard at the Darlow Health Centre was financed by the Constituency Development Fund for North Central Clarendon.

Staff encouraged

Dr Kimberly Scarlett-Campbell, medical officer of health for Clarendon, said the renovation of the Darlow Health Centre has made it into a beautiful facility, and this will encourage residents to visit, thereby enabling the centre to meet its health targets, such as an improvement in immunisation levels.

Hugh Lawson, CEO at the NHF, encouraged the staff and patients to increase prevention activities in order to reduce the impact of chronic illnesses. He pushed for the start of a programme of exercise activities for the Darlow Health Centre and pledged NHF support for this.