KINGSTON, Jamaica — The South East Rural Regional Health Care Authority (SERHA) yesterday received a 29-seater Coaster bus to assist in the transportation of healthcare workers at the Kingston Public and Victoria Jubilee hospitals from Guardian Life Limited.

Guardian Life Limited said the donation is part of the Private Sector Organisations of Jamaica (PSOJ) response initiative to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The handover of the bus, valued at over $12 million, took place at Jamaica House. “This signals the first corporate donation of its kind since the COVID-19 crisis has started in Jamaica,” the organisation said in a statement.

“Our health care representatives are on the front line of this fight against COVID-19 and we need to do whatever it takes to ensure that they are safe,” President of Guardian Life Limited, Eric Hosin said.

The company said it stepped up amid reports that public healthcare workers were finding it challenging to get public transportation to and from work.