KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen brought Christmas cheer to young patients at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, during their official visit to the institution in Kingston, yesterday.

They toured the orthopaedic and medical wards where they spoke with the children and staff and distributed toys, books, games, and blankets to the young patients as well as presented gifts to the hospital staff.

In the Learning and Activity Centre on the hospital grounds, the governor general interacted with the children, who warmly welcomed him.

“We are here on our annual visit to share with you and let you know we have you in our thoughts and prayers. And we have come also to say thanks to the staff for the outstanding work that they do. The administrative staff, the medical staff, the support staff have done well,” the governor general said.

“We appreciate being with you and learning from you how to be cheerful, even when you are not at your best or experiencing good health,” he told the children.

Chief Executive Officer for the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Anthony Wood, told JIS News that the annual visit is one of the highlights on the hospital’s calendar of activities.

“During their annual visit, they come to the institution and speak with the staff, meet with the patients and talk with them and bring good cheer. We look forward to this visit every year to talk with their excellencies and to share with them recent developments and plans for the way forward,” he said.  

Wood noted that Lady Allen is a regular visitor of the hospital.

“She comes every Monday to the Learning and Activity Centre, where she interacts with the children and conducts a curriculum development programme and works with them in terms of their development,” he informed.

Bustamante Hospital is the only specialist paediatric hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean. It caters to the medical needs of children in Jamaica and neighbouring Caribbean countries from zero to 12 years.