Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
CONTRIBUTED - One of the incubators and other supplies donated to the Spanish Town Hospital last week.
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine: THE SPANISH Town Hospital has received a major boost to its capacity to care for premature babies.
Three incubators were
donated to the Neonatal Unit, along with medicine, gloves
and other surgical items
totalling US$250,000 in value. Honorary Consul General in Houston Texas, Beverly Ford, and Mayor Raymoth Notice made the presentation last week at the Spanish Town General Hospital.
Mrs. Ford said the gesture was formulated in September last year when the mayor of Spanish Town met with mayor of Houston Bill White, and they formed the Jamaica Houston Foundation.
"It is a very meaningful gesture to us," said head of the neonatal department, Dr. Jacqueline Wright-James. She said, "We have been
having many babies coming to the hospital in need of incubators, so this will help."
Dr. Wright-James said that previously there were only four functioning incubators in the ward, which housed 30 premature babies at any one time. She said 30 per cent
of newborn babies need
incubators.
WEIR SINGLED OUT
Councillor Gerval Weir and other members of the St. Catherine Parish Council were in attendance at the handing over ceremony. Mrs. Ford singled out Mr. Weir as the person who worked most to foster the bond and promised that the partnership between Houston and Spanish Town would continue.
She also pointed out that Air Jamaica, Jamalco, and other groups in Houston have supported the cause to make shipment of supplies come to Jamaica.
The chairman of the St. Catherine Parish Council told The Gleaner that the council will be doing all it could to see to the health care needs in Spanish Town. He said another medical shipment will soon be given to the hospital.
