Jamaican diaspora leads private sector in adopt-a-clinic initiative

When their parents died three weeks apart, from COVID-19 in 2021, the Watson siblings were determined that good would come from their deaths. That they did, adopting the Golden Spring Health Centre in the names of the late Keith and Phyllis Watson last Friday.

Both, 88, were longstanding residents of the community, and after Phyllis passed due to a lack of high-flow oxygen at the Chest Hospital, and Keith, who transitioned following a rush to get him treatment overseas, their children, Richard, Kim, and Jacqueline Watson, said they just had to give back to their home country. They live in the United States.

“It was just crazy, losing two parents within weeks of each other, I just don’t know how to explain it,” said Jacqueline, following an official adoption ceremony at the health centre on Saturday. The Watson siblings signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with the facility last weekend.

“But I guess bad things really do happen for good things to follow, and because their deaths made no sense, we just knew that some sense had to come of it. That’s when we said we were going to start a foundation to give back,” she continued, noting that through a foundation named in their parents’ honour, they were able to raise some $3.5 million to aid efforts locally. They have also made donations to the chest hospital.

PROUD MOMENT

Jacqueline said her parents would be extremely proud, but not surprised by their decision to adopt the clinic, as it demonstrates the lessons they have taught them during childhood.

“These are the basic fundamentals of what it is to be a basic respectful human being. They would expect it and would actually look to say, ‘Don’t even get any acknowledgment out of it’. That’s how they were. So this just feels right,” she continued.

Jamaica’s primary health care is delivered through a series of 320 community health centres islandwide. Most, like Golden Grove, which was once a sugar plantation, were built many decades ago and despite some $1.6 billion worth of investment, still face challenges due to space, ageing equipment and infrastructure, and limited fiscal resources on the part of the government.

The Golden Spring Health Centre is a type-two facility with more than 86,000 patients registered at the clinic. It provides services in maternal and child health, curative, family planning, and mental health. The facility is the 47th of 100 health centres that have been adopted since the programme started in 2017.

Investor Kadeen Mairs also recently donated $5 million over five years, after adopting the Grange Hill Health Centre in Westmoreland, recently. A resident of the area, he said doing so was the fastest and simplest way to give back to his community.

“I thought that if I adopted a clinic, at least I could try to ensure that the people in the community are taken care of, and of course, healthcare is one of the most important things. Clinics, in particular, are normally the first contact point whenever something happens. So that is why I made the decision to adopt Grange Hill,” he offered.

MANY FACILITIES ADOPTED

Thirty-one health centres have been adopted by members of the diaspora, who have so far committed $94.5 million. Sixteen have been adopted by local private sector groups, who have committed $103 million thus far. Currently, at least six other facilities are in the process of being adopted.

Donors benefit from syncing their own philanthropic strategies to a national health programme while promoting their own brands as they aid with minor infrastructure, repairs and expansion, according to an adopt-a-clinic briefing posted on the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) Website.

“There are three areas that funding support goes towards minor infrastructure improvement, a roof might need repairs, electricals, retiling, etc. There is repainting, and then the third area is equipment that the doctors and the nurses use to treat patients. So we are talking about blood pressure machines, that sort of thing,” explained Courtney Cephas, executive director of the National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation.

“There are also facility-type equipment, ACs, fans, water tanks, refrigerators, microwaves, and so on. So those are the critical areas where the support is focused and by nature, those things improve access and the quality of service at the health centres,” he explained, adding that the stories around the donors and the local companies themselves will help bolster support for the local health sectors.

Cephas said that, by March next year, the goal of having 100 health centres adopted across the island will be realised and that he expects private-sector entities to regain the lead closer to that time. The St Jago Health Centre was the first one adopted by the Victoria Mutual Building Society, which was the first adopter involved in the programme.

“I look upon the audience here and I see about six or seven persons who could adopt a health centre,” Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said, to bouts of laughter from attendees made up of Golden Spring residents and clinic staff, past politicians, among others, last Friday. Pictures of the elderly Watsons were placed at the head table during the ceremony.

“Golden Spring is rich, not just because of the scenic space, but also because of the residents and those who are related to these lovely parts,” he said. “We have set our targets for 100 clinics and we are going strong. The programme has gathered momentum over time and, for us, the adoption is not just about giving donations and not constructing buildings, but to address some of the small things that are necessary day to day.”

“It’s about how you motivate staff with a decent lunch room, refrigerator, fans, to help make them more comfortable,” he said.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com