Increased ear, nose and throat services in central Jamaica

Previously, persons needing surgeries to remove foreign objects from the oesophagus would have to be transferred to hospitals in Kingston; however, through the kind donations of the Manchester Wellness Foundation, residents in central Jamaica can now access enhanced ear, nose and throat services at the Mandeville Regional Hospital (MRH) in Manchester.

On Wednesday, June 12, the foundation handed over a surgical microscope to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department valued at J$3.1 million on the grounds of the MRH. Acting chief executive officer for the MRH, Marcia Francis, explained that for the period January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018, the ENT department was able to offer services to 5,109 patients in the outpatient clinics and performed 317 surgical procedures.

“The hospital could have facilitated more surgical procedures; however, the absence of the surgical microscope made it impossible. With this robust, compact and flexible microscope, the hospital’s ENT team will be able to perform additional procedures with compassion, in an accountable, respectful and efficient manner,” Francis added.

Consultant at the MRH ENT Department, Dr Andrew Manning, noted that the surgical microscope will make a major difference in the service offerings to residents from the parishes of Manchester, Clarendon, St Elizabeth, and even other parishes. Dr Manning explained that the microscope will particularly help to treat the condition serous otitis media with effusion, commonly known as glue ears, which affects learning and which impacts a large number of children in the region.

“This condition is fluid behind the ear drum and if not addressed before age four, children would have missed out on most of what they would learn in life. Normally we would have to refer children to the Bustamante Hospital for Children, but now we are able to address these cases,” Dr Manning said.

TWO FUNDRAISING EVENTS

He expressed sincere gratitude to the foundation for its continued goodwill over the years, which, he said, has allowed the department to handle cases which would have had to be sent to hospitals in Kingston and other parts of the island.

For her part, chairman of the Manchester Wellness Foundation and acting regional director of the Southern Regional Health Authority, Herschel Ismail, pointed out that the foundation adopted the ENT Department three years ago, and to date has donated well-needed equipment and instruments valued at more than J$6 million.

Since the establishment of the Manchester Wellness Foundation in 2003, the foundation has raised and disbursed more than J$17.6 million to health facilities in Manchester through two major fundraising events – a run/walk and a vintage party.