As the Children and Adolescent Hospital in Montego Bay nears completion, the PNP Patriots are urgently calling on the Jamaican government to honor former Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, who conceptualized the idea.

The PNP Patriots stated that Simpson-Miller originated the hospital idea out of her dedication to children, making several trips overseas to secure funding and partnerships.

After Simpson-Miller left office following the 2016 elections, a new government was formed, but her administration had already established construction plans for the hospital.

Her tenure was historic as Jamaica’s first and only female Prime Minister. “A major achievement for Jamaica,” the group noted.

The Patriots assert, “Now is the moment to take deliberate steps: naming the hospital would not merely recognize a former Prime Minister, it would also honor a legacy of compassion, resilience, and unwavering service to the Jamaican people. We urge decision-makers to seize this opportunity and ensure Portia Simpson-Miller’s contributions are permanently enshrined in our national history,” said Ibrahim Ronteh, Deputy General Secretary of the PNP Patriots and Chairman of the PNP Cultural and Heritage Commission.

Simpson-Miller, during her tenure as Prime Minister, argued during her 2007-2008 budget debate that “many families had to travel from across the island to Kingston to access certain services at the Bustamante Hospital for Children and a children’s hospital in Montego Bay is needed.”

The 220-bed facility, located at Cornwall Regional Hospital, will join the Bustamante Hospital as a national pediatric care institution upon completion.

The PNP Patriots said her budget presentation stressed the need for a modern, well-equipped hospital for children and adolescents relying on public health services.

The group also stated that the hospital stands as proof of Simpson-Miller’s vision for equitable health care for Jamaica’s children, especially in the west.

 The multi-million-dollar facility donated by the Chinese government, which will serve adolescents up to 18 years old, is expected to open in late 2026.