CRH gets foetal heart monitoring systems

Western Bureau:

Residents of St James and neighbouring parishes can now look forward to improving health care at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), in Montego Bay thanks to a gift of two much-needed Philips-brand foetal heart-monitoring systems, which the hospital received for its maternity ward on Tuesday.

The donation was made by Dr Trevor Dixon, the founder of the non-profit organisation, Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans At Home (JAH JAH), which is based in New Jersey in the United States.

Dixon, who is linked to the Jamaican diaspora, outlined that in addition to the two foetal heart monitoring systems donated at CRH, another two were contributed to the Falmouth Hospital, in Trelawny; one at the Ulster Spring health facility, in southern Trelawny; and four at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, in Kingston.

"The key thing of the foundation is to work hand in hand with the leadership here, not just Cornwall Regional, but throughout the public hospital system across Jamaica," said Dixon, who works at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Dixon credited Donnie Robinson, of the Trinity Health Clinical Engineering, which operates out of Pennsylvania; and the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, in New Jersey, for aiding in the acquisition of the equipment.

ENHANCE THE QUALITY

"This is just the beginning of an ongoing effort. We hope we can garner more support, for instance, from the diaspora, so we can really make an impact," said Dixon.

Dr Ken-Garfield Douglas, the director of the Western Regional Health Authority, thanked the JAHJAH Foundation for the kind gesture, noting that like so many other charitable organisations, CRH has again benefited from another goodwill donation.

"I think this is another example of what goodwill can do to enhance the quality of service we offer at the community level," said Douglas. "South Trelawny really needs what we are giving them now. They will have a better appreciation for the journey that they will no longer have to make down to Falmouth."

Nigel Moore, president of Friends of the Ulster Spring Hospital, stated that the connection with JAHJAH started three years ago when the organisation, which is also registered in Jamaica, conducted a health fair and identified a serious need for improved health service.

According to Moore, since then, the JAHJAH has donated several pieces of equipment to the Ulster Spring Hospital.