KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Black River Hospital (BRH) in St Elizabeth recently received US$15,000 to construct a well-needed porte cochère at the Accident and Emergency Department to aid in the removal of patients from vehicles when it rains.

A porte cochère is a roofed structure extending from the entrance of a building over an adjacent driveway and sheltering those getting in or out of vehicles.

According to the South Regional Health Authority, the donation was made possible by Dave Johnson, a Jamaican from the Arlington District in St Elizabeth who resides in the United States of America.

Johnson noted that he has been blessed and “with the agreement of his family made a commitment to make a lifetime donation to his primary school and church in his community and also to the hospital”.

Senior Medical Officer for the hospital, Dr Sheriff Imoru, commended Johnson on his altruism, noting that the donation was important to helping the hospital kick start its developmental plan.

BRH CEO Diana Brown-Miller also welcomed the donation and thanked Johnson for allowing himself to be used to give back to his community in such a meaningful way.

“The funding of public healthcare is difficult and so the Government welcomes all the support it gets in advancing quality and efficient healthcare for Jamaicans. Thank you again Mr Johnson and I hope that others will continue to partner with us as we seek to keep generations alive and healthy,” Brown-Miller said.