By Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterTHE TROPICAL Metabolism Research Institute (TMRI) at the University of the West Indies yesterday received $3.5 million of the $80 million that it needs to construct, equip and staff a research centre on the grounds of the St. Jago Health Department in St. Catherine.
Charles Johnston, Chairman of the Jamaica Producers Group, in making the presentation at the company's head office in New Kingston, said the donation was part of the organisation's corporate commitment to the building of the Jamaican community and in celebration of its 75th anniversary. The company also donated $3.6 million to the Ministry of Health to purchase an ultrasound machine for the Annotto Bay Hospital in St. Mary.
In accepting the donation to the Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, its director, Professor Terrence Forrester, said the gesture was the "start of a public partnership that will help to improve people's health."
TO PROMOTE HEALTH WELLNESS
He said that the project is to promote health wellness through research, public education and the treatment of chronic diseases such as obesity, which he said is affecting many Jamaicans, hypertension and diabetes.
The centre will be equipped with a lecture and seminar room, a demonstration kitchen to support interventions in diet and an exercise facility to support interventions in physical activity.
He said that the key to preventing these chronic disease was to eat less and engage in more activities.
In thanking the company for its contribution, Dr. Barry Wint, Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, said: "A lot of us do not recognise that the biggest health problem that we are now facing is an epidemic of chronic diseases (and) to come to grips with the problem, we have to tackle the problem together."
Construction of the building will commence in January of next year and should be completed by December. Professor Forrester said that it is hoped that other private partners would also come on board in the establishment of the centre.
