About 12,900 persons are expected to benefit from the Construction of a new health centre in Golden Springs, St. Andrew, Jamaica at the cost of USD373,665 by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) through its Community Investment Project. The project will be administered by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), and the community is contributing 18 per cent of the project cost. Mr. Karl Pivott, Operations Officer (Civil Engineer), CDB noted that Construction on the 3,423.3 square foot centre began on December 2, 2013 and is expected to be completed within six months of that date. Services offered by the Type 2 health centre will include family planning, curative services, child health and immunization, health promotion and illness prevention, surveillance and disease control. At the signing of the contract between JSIF and the Stock Farm Road Citizens Association, Health Minister, Dr. Fenton Ferguson noted, "Primary care is grounded in prevention and has a community focus. It is cheaper for persons to go to the health centre than to go to hospital. It relieves the pressure on secondary care and allows secondary care to focus on the major issues. " Describing the fulfilment of the health centre as "a demonstration of the power of community participation, advocacy and endurance," the Minister also urged community members to take care of the facility. Excerpts from: Jamaica Observer CAPTION: Construction has begun on the new USD373,665 health centre in Golden Springs, St. Andrew, Jamaica funded by Caribbean Development Bank's Community Investment Project. Image Source: JSIF