KINGSTON, Jamaica – As efforts to upgrade the health services continue, a Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulator valued at over J$356,000 has been donated to the Physiotherapy Department at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH).

The machine is a gift from the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation (SJF) and was given based on the recommendation of the Montego Bay Freezone, which has embarked on a community outreach programme as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.

Assistant vice president of Montego Bay Freezone, Gloria Henry, said, “We adopted the Physiotherapy Department as part of our 30th anniversary outreach project.”

A Freezone team volunteered their services to give the department a facelift with new fixtures and painting of the service areas.

“We are continuing with this project through our partnership with the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation which has donated this important piece of equipment,” she continued.

Henry also disclosed that they have also acquired office equipment that they will be giving to the Physiotherapy Department, adding that so it will be an ongoing project to support the department.

Making the presentation last Friday at CRH, general manager of SJF, Karen Donaldson, commended the Freezone on its community outreach.

“We are very aware of the many constraints faced by the health sector and we are extremely pleased to be playing our part as the Cornwall Regional Hospital works towards establishing itself as a world-class health service provider,” Donaldson said.

A Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulator is used extensively with orthopaedic patients, who comprise the majority of people needing physiotherapy and most of whom have to be treated for nerve damage that causes weakness of the muscles. This also prevents movement of the hand.

With the equipment, muscular activity is induced and mobility restored.

Prior to this presentation, the Physiotherapy Department had only one such machine serving 60 to 70 daily outpatients as well as the in-patients from the hospital wards.

Expressing thanks on behalf of CRH, Senior Medical Officer Dr Delroy Fray said: “It will be well used, especially by our orthopaedic patients. It’s very important after surgery for injury rehabilitation.”

Established by Spanish investors in 2006 with a focus on strengthening the friendship between Spain and Jamaica, the SJF has for the past nine years focused on educational, cultural, health-based, environmental, and community development initiatives.