Andrews Memorial gives Black River Hospital $9m shot in the arm
Loading article...
-
From left: Donmayne Gyles, chief executive officer of Andrews Memorial Hospital; Erica Myers, infection control and prevention nurse at Black River Hospital; Diana Brown-Miller, chief executive officer of Black River Hospital; Jodi-Ann Porter, senior customer care officer at Black River Hospital; Maria Stampp, director of nursing services at Black River Hospital; Ingrid Stephens, deputy director of nursing services at Black River Hospital; and Pastor Charles Brevitt, vice president of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, show off some of the donated laptops.
-
Medical supplies donated to the Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth by Andrews Memorial Hospital.
-
Pastor Charles Brevitt (left), who represented newly elected Jamaica Union Conference President Pastor Glen Samuels, joins Donmayne Gyles, president and chief executive officer of Andrews Memorial Hospital Limited, and Black River Hospital Chief Executive Officer Diana Brown-Miller in examining samples of donated laptops and health supplies during the handover on Monday. The donation, made possible through AdventHealth with assistance from the GSI Foundation, included 50 Hewlett-Packard laptops and healthcare supplies valued approximately J$9 million.
-
The Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth.
WESTERN BUREAU:
Donmayne Gyles, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Andrews Memorial Hospital, has donated medical supplies and computers valued at $9 million to the Hurricane Melissa-ravaged Black River Hospital on behalf of his institution.
Speaking at the handover ceremony on Monday at the St Elizabeth-based hospital, Gyles said the contribution, which is to aid in the facility’s restoration effort. was valued at approximately US$60,000. It is part of a broader plan to “adopt” the hospital as reposition itself to an integral part of Jamaica’s healthcare landscape.
“The last time we were here, we said this would not be the last. We will certainly continue to engage our partners as we seek to adopt the Black River Hospital while it regains its focus within the healthcare system,” said Gyles.
Gayle explained that Andrews Memorial had solicited the support of international partners, resulting in a container load of medical supplies being shipped to Jamaica, including 50 computers, wound-care materials, dressing sets, and hazardous waste bags.
“We may not be able to undertake all the infrastructure work, but we certainly want to help with supplies and equipment as the case may be. We are all in the healthcare landscape, and we cannot be in healthcare and not want to support,” he said.
Gyles emphasised that Black River was the first hospital his team visited following the hurricane and signaled that further assistance is still to come.
Charles Brevett, vice president of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, who also represented the Jamaica Union Conference, described the donation as a reflection of the church’s health and wellness mission.
“Health work is a very critical part of our ministry in Jamaica. We could have kept all of this at Andrews, but we recognise that we are not the only ones in the ministry of health and healing, so we have chosen to spread the blessings around,” Brevett said.
Brevett also noted that the supplies were secured through donor partnerships, particularly in North America, and stated that accountability remains essential.
“When donors assist us, they want reports and updates. Black River Hospital will come into prominence as one of the main recipients of this cargo,” he said.
Brevett also stressed the strategic importance of strengthening services at Black River to reduce patient transfers to other facilities.
“There is some distance between Savanna-la-Mar and here, and between Mandeville and here. We want to ensure you are equipped so people don’t always have to be rushed elsewhere,” he said.
Brevett stated that the church remains committed to the rebuilding process and expressed hope that the partnership would continue to grow.
For her part, Diana Brown-Miller, the chief executive officer at Black River Hospital, welcomed the donation, describing it as both timely and transformative.
“Let me, on behalf of the Black River Hospital family, express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for this gift,” said Brown Miller.
She said the computers were particularly meaningful, given the challenges faced during the previous appraisal period.
“Appraisal time is coming, and last year we suffered tremendously because we did not have enough computers. The hurricane destroyed the few we had. Now, each head of department can receive one. We have absolutely no excuse this year,” she said.
Brown Miller also highlighted the value of the medical supplies, including advanced silicone foam dressings.
“When I came to receive the gifts and saw the Tecoderm silicone foam dressings, our senior medical officer was excited and said to ensure they were stored safely. These are very important and meaningful to us,” she said.
Underscoring the hospital’s regional role, Brown Miller noted that while located in St. Elizabeth, the facility serves patients from sections of Westmoreland, Manchester, St. James, and even St. Ann.
“As a government facility, we have one of the shortest waiting times, so persons come even if they have to use a different address,” she said. “When the hurricane came, I said, “This is an opportunity for us to build back better and become stronger.”
The donation marks a significant step in Black River Hospital’s recovery efforts and signals what all parties described as the beginning of a strengthened partnership in healthcare delivery across western Jamaica.
albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com