PORT MARIA, St Mary – For more than 40 years the Jamaica Nurses’ Association of Florida (JNAF) has been contributing to health care and welfare in rural Jamaica through its medical missions and humanitarian services. It has worked in some of the most remotest communities, offering services in paediatric, medical, and dental care while providing medicines which might have been difficult to access otherwise.

“Our first mission in Jamaica was in Rocky Point, St Thomas. We had only 10 nurses, then a few doctors. There we saw that the residents needed medical attention, including getting medication, as access to health care was way out of their reach,” said retired nurse and JNAF Public Relations Officer Judy Jackson.

Over the years the association has gifted more than $30 million in medical supplies to the St Ann’s Bay Hospital; US$1,000 in medical supplies, disposable diapers for babies, and clothing to the Bellevue Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and, most recently, it provided the Spaldings Hospital with equipment valued at US$80,000.

For this year’s mission they visited communities such as Bethany in St Ann and Three Hills in St Mary.

The association has accomplished these and other acts of kindness despite what it describes as high registration costs to bring into the country the supplies necessary for effective operation.

“This year we have 45 members, five doctors, 14 nurses, along with supporting staff of pharmacists, customer services, and missionaries. We could have had more personnel, but the fee for registering here is ridiculous and it turns off volunteers. Then they have to find the money for clearance of our medical supplies and we have to consider transportation for the personnel, food, and accommodation,” bemoaned mission director, Dr Beverlin Allen.

She is pleading with the Government to intervene so that the fees can be more manageable for the JNAF and similar associations so their philanthropic visits can be more frequent.