Hospitals get much-needed supplies

Eight hospitals across Jamaica have benefited from J$15.3 million in hospital supplies from New York-based philanthropist Bill Tingling, through his MedGive Corporation.

The hospitals are the Percy Junor and Mandeville Regional hospitals, and the Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in Manchester; the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James; the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland; the Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover; the Kingston Public Hospital; and the Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew.

The supplies, which include 120 buckets of assorted surgical instruments, were officially handed over last Thursday on the grounds of the Mandeville Regional Hospital (MRH).

CEO of the MRH, Alwyn Miller, expressed gratitude to Tingling and MedGive for the supplies, which he said would be instrumental in improving the service delivery at all beneficiary hospitals.

"This hospital serves Manchester and the wider region. We have an annual figure of approximately 25,000 persons passing through our A & E (accident and emergency department). We do approximately 7,000 surgeries each year and we deliver approximately 3,500 babies and instruments are used in most of these procedures. This is just the figure for one hospital ... and we are indeed appreciative of this donation," Miller said.

Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority Board, Wayne Chen, said even during this COVID-19 pandemic, the generosity of Jamaicans in the diaspora has been evident and should be lauded.

"I recently saw a figure where remittances to Jamaica are actually up when no doubt our brothers and sisters in the United States and elsewhere are feeling the pandemic pinch, but the fact that remittances can be up speaks to their love and commitment for their homeland. It is a touching thing that we must not take for granted," Chen said.

Tingling, a native of Westmoreland, is a lawyer who has been giving back to Jamaica since 1993. His philanthropic efforts span several sectors including housing, education and health.