Nationwide News understands that the Accident & Emergency Department at Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James is set to officially reopen its doors in 10 days’ time.

The proposed reopening will bring to a close one phase of the longest running major redevelopment projects in the nation’s history.

Problems first emerged at Cornwall Regional in September 2016 when the accident and emergency unit was vacated due to noxious fumes from the air condition vents.

That sparked a chain of events which resulted in the evacuation of several floors at the 10-storey, 400 bed facility over the next few months.

Work to correct problems with the ventilation led to the discovery of significant structural issues which served to increase the scope of work at the facility and caused the repair and rehabilitation bill to skyrocket.

Sources close to the construction team working at the hospital say the brand new accident and emergency unit will reopen on November 13.

That will be about 3,700 days since the closure of the unit sparked the series of works which resulted in the hospital undergoing its first makeover since it began serving the public in 1974.

It’s understood the prime minister will be on hand to deliver special remarks about a project that has attracted much criticism from the Opposition People’s National Party about the protracted nature of the works and the cost to the Jamaican taxpayer.