KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Spanish Town Hospital is to benefit from the donation of a portable suction machine from the Social Development Commission (SDC).

The handing over ceremony will take place on Wednesday at the SDC’s St Catherine parish office located on Port Henderson Road.

The piece of equipment was bought using funds raised by the entity’s St. Catherine Agency Network (SCAN) from the staging of a 5K run/walk last year.

It is used in hospitals to remove secretion such as saliva, blood, mucus, vomit and other material that may be blocking a patient’s upper respiratory area. It can also be used to flush fluid from a body cavity during operations.

Parish manager, SDC St Catherine, Samuel Heron said that the 

decision to purchase the machine was based on the expressed need of the hospital.

“We just want to do our bit as good corporate citizens and neighbours,” he said.

Established in 2012, SCAN provides a forum for collaboration and cooperation among agencies and service providers to aid in effective service delivery to citizens.

It also seeks to establish shared work plans for maximizing the use of resources and to identify gaps through improved networking and communication with residents, in an effort to address developmental issues affecting the parish; and to improve communications and relationships among agencies.  

The 5K run/walk has been staged since 2014 to raise money for worthy causes in St Catherine.