Issa Trust Foundation, Couples help mend Jamaica's medical woes

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

It seems like a never-ending stream of love is flowing for the Jamaican people as Issa Trust Foundation (ITF) and Couples Resorts keep bringing medical personnel from the United States to offer free medical care here.

The ITF recently completed a two-week medical mission that saw over 40 paediatric medics providing care and education at several hospitals, including Port Maria, Annotto Bay and Bustamante, according to foundation President Diane Pollard.

Health centres at Annotto Bay, Highgate, Port Maria and various other communities also benefited.

The group also held a health fair at Couples Sans Souci where more than 180 children received medical attention.

At the same time, the medical rotation programme continues, wherein ITF brings a doctor to offer medical care for 30 days over a 12-month period.

A biomedical engineer, who was part of the team, also lent his skills and experience, repairing equipment and training technicians in the process.

"He went to different locations this week to not only fix equipment but to train. That is something we're going to continue doing, bringing biomedical engineers down," Pollard said.

"The programmes that we have developed are the first of its kind on the island and we not only want to help St Mary and St Ann parishes but hopefully to help islandwide."

Pollard was speaking to The Gleaner recently at a dinner for the volunteers, hosted by Couples Sans Souci in St Mary.

Vital sign monitors

The biomedical engineer, Travis Knottek of Philadelphia, also spoke about his work.

"We were able to get a lot of pieces of equipment fixed, but what was even more important is that we diagnosed a lot of these equipment, found out what is needed and hopefully we can work with other people and try to raise money to get parts, to get equipment donated and just to make the health-care system better here," he said.

According to Knottek, there is a real need for vital sign monitors, blood pressure monitors, analysing equipment, spare parts, among other pieces of equipment.

His task also entailed training local technicians and he gave them high marks.

"The technicians here are capable of doing the work, capable of doing a good job, they just need the right tools," Knottek said.

And according to nurse practitioner Christine Smith, staff at the Annotto Bay Hospital benefited from education in neonatal resuscitation.

"We had gotten feedback, so we developed a programme where we came here and with the support of Dr Ramos and Dr Fisher, two of the local paediatricians who helped coordinate with Diane Pollard, we set up a programme where we had 42 physicians and nurses and ancillary staff from the hospital come and learn how to better provide care for a newborn infant at the time of delivery," Smith explained.

"So we got a lot of hands-on education; we did a lecture and everybody watched the video. We were able to leave an education kit with the hospital so that they can further train more staff with the programme we have provided here."

Meanwhile, Knottek had high commendation for the children who he came into contact with.

"The children are so grateful, they are a lot more grateful than at home. They are so polite - yes ma'am, thank you, no sir. Once I did it last year, I was stuck, and I see the need here; hopefully I can help, whether fixing equipment or raising money to buy equipment."