Atlanta Jamaica Association donates medical equipment to St Ann’s Bay hospital

The Atlanta Jamaica Association (AJA) has gifted the St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital’s (SABRH) maternity ward with a state-of-the-art Edan C6 colposcope system to assist in the early diagnosis and treatment mitigation of cervical cancer.

Dennis Morgan, CEO, welcomed the donation saying, “this vitally important piece of equipment will now make it possible for our medical professionals to conduct more precise cervical examinations to detect signs of cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue in women - the heartbeat of our proud and resilient island-nation: Jamaica’.

“This generous support of organisations like the AJA, makes it possible for our healthcare providers to deliver quality and affordable care to the people and communities we serve, and ultimately enhancing and preserving quality of life of Jamaicans, regardless of their socio-economic background.”

Aj Stone, team leader of the AJA St Ann/St Mary, presented the equipment on behalf of the association on Wednesday, August 3. She was joined by team members, Fabian James and Annette Taylor-James.

In an emailed response, Stone said the initiative was the result of the efforts of AJA’s parish groups.

“Last year, the AJA embarked on a project we call ‘Rep Yuh Parish’ to make a meaningful impact in Jamaica for its 60th year of Independence. Members of the AJA were tasked with selecting at least one project in each of the 14 parishes, to culminate in time for the Independence Ball on August 14. The donation is made possible by the combined parishes of St Ann and St Mary Rep Yuh Parish Team. The team was able to acquire over J$1.8m to purchase a state-of-the-art Edan C6 colposcope system that will be used as both a diagnostic and treatment tool in patients with abnormal Pap smears. Importantly, it is used to identify pre-cancerous stages of cervical cancer. This life-saving equipment is also capable of storing and transferring the patient’s file to other medical entities worldwide. This will be the first of such equipment belonging to the maternity ward at the St Ann’s Bay hospital. Incidentally, cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death of women in Jamaica.” The SABRH is the regional hospital serving the parishes of Portland, St Mary and St Ann.