Issa Trust Foundation to the rescue

The Port Maria Hospital in St Mary has received a donation of US$20,000 worth of much-needed medical equipment and human resources, courtesy of the Issa Trust Foundation (ITF).

For the past six months, the hospital, which serves districts on the eastern side of the parish, has been operating without a fully functional X-ray machine.

Last month, the ITF, arranged for the delivery of a new X-ray generator and two experts to install the apparatus.

Diane Pollard, president and CEO of the ITF, told The Gleaner: "Couples Resorts and the ITF have been partnering with Port Maria Hospital for many years, and earlier this year, we found out they didn't have a fully functional X-ray machine. Working with partners in the United States, we found an X-ray generator that we donated to the hospital.

With the equipment, the hospital can now diagnose fractures and send cases directly to St Ann's Bay Hospital instead of sending them back and forth between Annotto Bay Hospital and Port Maria Hospital, causing unnecessary delays."

Dr Maurice Sloley, medical officer in charge at the hospital, said the donation would be of great benefit to the parish.

In addition to organising the delivery of the medical equipment to Port Maria Hospital, in October, the ITF ran several paediatric health programmes throughout St Mary.

These included a day of lectures and workshops and an outreach initiative that resulted in free health checks and eye tests for some 900 children.