Issa Trust Foundation (ITF), founded by Couples Resorts, this week donated more than J$22 million in paediatric equipment to the Annotto Bay, Victoria Jubilee, Port Maria, St Ann's Bay and Savanna-la-Mar hospitals. The foundation is headed by Paul Issa, its chairman; and Diane Pollard, its president and CEO.

This equipment includes paediatric incubators, infant warmers, vital-signs monitors, a portable X-ray machine, hospital grade film processor for Port Maria, and diagnostic equipment - most of which was donated by Welch Alllyn, a major global partner of the foundation - as well as two individual donors, Rob Barkema of Radiology Imagining Solutions; and Jim Barley the Munson Medical Center.

The vital components of the paediatric and neonatal programmes supported by the ITF are the donation of the life-saving equipment, classroom and biomedic training and support to ensure that the equipment is maintained.

"Partnerships and volunteers are the life of these programmes and the Foundation works closely with the Ministry of Health, providing statistical data and working with them to identify the areas of need to be addressed across the island," said Issa, who is also the deputy chairman of Couples Resorts.

To date, the conservative estimate of direct cost savings provided by the ITF to the Jamaican health-care systems has been in excess of $600 million.