Scotiabank supports COVID-19 fight

Scotiabank last week brought to a total of $15.5 million the amount it has contributed this year to the bolstering of the local healthcare system in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Following a $15-million cash donation in March towards the purchase of ventilators for the island’s public hospitals, the bank deepened its commitment with a further donation of $500,000 to facilitate the purchase of additional equipment for The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

The donation of a Flow Nasal Oxygen machine was requested by the hospital, particularly because it can be used in the early management of patients with respiratory symptoms and can possibly reduce the number of patients who may end up needing a ventilator.

Scotiabank is among several leading members of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica that have provided monetary support to the island’s healthcare facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking during a brief handover ceremony at the hospital, David Noel, president and CEO of Scotiabank, said that the bank was again happy to be able to contribute. “We all live here. We are a part of this community, and we want to ensure that we play our role in equipping our nation’s healthcare workers, who already work miracles, to deliver the highest standard of care,” Noel said.

“Insufficient medical equipment continues to be a challenge, and Scotiabank continues to play our part in helping to address some of the gaps. Through this donation, we are addressing a critical need to increase the availability of life-saving equipment in our nation’s hospitals even beyond the threat of COVID-19,” further explained Audrey Tugwell Henry, executive vice-president for retail banking, who symbolically handed over the additional donation.

REASON FOR DONATION

While this latest donation was prompted by the immediate threat of the novel coronavirus global pandemic, she further noted that the company has always had an interest in helping the country to address the shortage of critical medical equipment.

Dr Kelvin Metalor, ICU director at The UHWI, expressed gratitude on behalf of the hospital: “The provision of adequate and high-quality healthcare requires a lot of resources. In a system that is already stressed, COVID-19 serves to provide additional pressure. Scotiabank, being the good corporate citizen that it is, has once again stepped in to provide assistance to patients at The UHWI ... .”