CRH physiotherapy department gets $2.5m donation from Guardian 5K Run
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Senior Medical Officer at Cornwall Regional Hospital Dr Delroy Fray says the donation of equipment valued at $2.5 million to the Physiotherapy Department of the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) from proceeds of the Guardian Group “Keep it Alive” 5K Night Run in Montego Bay last year, will assist in lifting the health care quality at the facility to First World standards.
“The equipment is a very, very useful addition to Cornwall Regional Hospital. The equipment is so designed that a lot of patients who are suffering from chronic pain — helps to relieve this pain and it brings our level of care up to a First World level,” said Dr Fray, during a handover ceremony at the hospital earlier this week.
“So I want to thank this group for this equipment and I can assure you that it will be used to its maximum to relieve the suffering of our patients,” Dr Fray added. The equipment includes: two thermalators, one magnetic pulse unit and one short diathermy.
Denise Forsythe, manager of the Physiotherapy Department of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, also underscored the significance of the donation.
“As one of the physiotherapists at the hospital I must say that we are going to be benefiting from the gift here. I am sure that this equipment will better serve our clients, making them much better in terms of the treatment — the different treatment modalities that we have here at Cornwall Regional. We do have our equipment, but we do now have added value, and so we are thankful to the Guardian Group for this kit,” Forsythe said.
The St Ann’s Bay Hospital also benefited from the Montego Bay leg of the run and was earlier presented with equipment valued at $1.7 million.
Eric Hosin, president of Guardian Life Limited, was heartened by last year’s inaugural hosting of the Montego Bay leg of the annual event, which has been staged in Kingston since 2014.
“We decided to have one run in Kingston and then have one run in Montego Bay, and so as a first-time event it has been a great success,” Hosin said.
And Karen Bhoorasingh, president of Guardian General Insurance Jamaica, indicated that the event will return to Montego Bay this year.
“In 2016, we look forward to working with the Cornwall Regional Hospital, as well as the St Ann’s Bay Hospital as we keep it alive and save lives,” Bhoorasingh said.
Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris, MP for St James West Central Sharon Ffolkes Abrahams, Chairman of the Western Regional Health Authority Tony Hart, and CEO of CRH Anthony Smikle hailed the Guardian Group — which consists of Guardian General Insurance Jamaica and Guardian Life Limited — for the kind gesture.