MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The Rotary Club of Mandeville last Monday presented US$56,000 worth of equipment for the care of maternity patients to the Mandeville Regional Hospital.

The package included foetal monitoring machines, vital sign monitors, patient monitors, an operating theatre table, pulse oximeters and 40 boxes of recording paper for use in the foetal monitoring machines.

Percy Junor Hospital (PJH), on the border of North East Manchester and North West Clarendon which works closely with the Mandeville Regional, also benefitted from a vital sign monitor.

The donation flowed from a partnership of the Rotary Club of Mandeville, the Rotary Foundation, Scotia Foundation, Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, Rotary Club of Naples in Florida, the Rotary Club of Vienna along with nine other rotary clubs in Virginia.

The maternity equipment is the second donation to Mandeville Regional by the Rotary Club of Mandeville during its 2012-2013 administration. Equipment for prostate cancer screening was donated last year.

“You are like favourite uncles and aunties now,” Chief Executive Officer of the MRH Alwyn Miller told the Rotarians at the handover.

Noting that the last major renovation was done at the Mandeville Regional Hospital 11 years ago, Miller said the organisation is trying to “retool” despite challenges.

“It is with partnerships like these that we will be able to achieve so much more in the future,” said Dr Leighton Wynter in a greeting delivered on behalf of Acting Senior Medical Officer Everton McIntosh.

Bobby Young, Past District Foundation Chairperson of Rotary District 7020, which include the clubs in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, said that there have been “remarkable strides” in the number of clubs accessing the matching grants made available by the Rotary Foundation in order to complete service projects.

“There is some $2.9 billion of funds in the Foundation. There are still more funds to access, so feel free,” he said.

Dr Patricia Velkoff of the Rotary Club of Vienna said the organisation’s code of ethics ensures accountability and the continuity of donations.