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St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital gets two ventilators

Published:Friday | August 23, 2024 | 12:07 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
Consultant paediatrician at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital seems unable to control her joy to acting SMO Dr Yvette Anderson (in mask) while receiving the ventilators from Ian Clough. Minister Matthew Samuda (second right) and Councillor Ian Isaacs of th
Carl Gilchrist
Consultant paediatrician at St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital seems unable to control her joy to acting SMO Dr Yvette Anderson (in mask) while receiving the ventilators from Ian Clough. Minister Matthew Samuda (second right) and Councillor Ian Isaacs of the Exchange Division (right) are among persons witnessing the handover.

The St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital (SABR) received two ventilators on Tuesday from philanthropist Ian Clough, whose contribution of medical equipment to Jamaican institutions extends over two decades.

Clough’s donation comes just two months after Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and his Opposition counterpart, Dr Alfred Dawes, argued over the number of ventilators available in the public heath system, amid allegations that several of the machines could not be accounted for.

However, the presentation means a boosting of the stock at the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) and especially at the SABR.

“I read an article earlier this year where there was some brouhaha in the media about the ventilators in the country and I saw where they did a count of it and said there were only 105 life support machines in the entire country and I think that is really low,” Clough told The Gleaner.

He shared that he works with ventilators and had been sourcing the machines to assist the local health sector.

“We have two very, very good ventilators. They’re good for transport and they’re good for ventilating all kinds of patients, paediatric right up to adult. So I think the hospital and the residents of St Ann and Jamaica will be really well served by these life support machines,” Clough added.

At the presentation, which took place at the Maternal and Neonatal High Dependency Unit at the hospital, consultant paediatrician, Dr Coralie Antoine, pointed out that the machines were for critically ill patients and will go a long way to augment the services offered at the Unit.

“Thank you on behalf of the institution, and on behalf of the paediatric department and on behalf of the community that we serve. This can really impact the care that we offer to our patients,” Dr Antoine said.

Minister Matthew Samuda, who was also present at the handover, hailed Clough’s generosity.

“The best way for us to start is to thank Mr Clough,” Samuda said.

“It’s incredibly important that we give back to the system. We have Jamaicans who have gone abroad, done very well, and return home to give assistance to us in Jamaica. We have to pause and say thank you,” Samuda added.