KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Bustamante Hospital for Children has received a major boost with a $3.1 million donation from the Sandals Foundation, to undertake renovations to the hospital’s Level II Nursery.

The upgrades aim to reduce infection risks and significantly improve neonatal care for some of Jamaica’s most vulnerable patients.

The project includes the installation of six air conditioning units to enhance air quality and comfort for both newborns and staff.

Additional improvements involve the separation of the counselling office from the main patient care area to ensure greater privacy, as well as carpentry, tiling, and other infrastructural upgrades. The work was carried out through a collaborative effort with the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) and the Sandals Foundation.

The refurbished nursery is now equipped to support between 800 and 950 babies each year, offering critical services such as neonatal resuscitation, non-invasive respiratory care, jaundice management, nutritional support, and minor surgical procedures. Special attention will also be given to premature infants requiring extended feeding and weight monitoring.

CEO of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Anthony Wood praised the initiative.

“These upgrades will make a lasting difference in how we deliver care, ensuring our young patients receive treatment in a more comfortable, child-friendly, family-centred, and healing environment,” he said.

Meanwhile, executive director of the Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke emphasised the organisation’s commitment to pediatric health in the region.

“We are honored to help facilitate the reopening of the nursery department and hope that the families served here will feel a sense of relief as the renovations were aimed at meeting the evolving needs of families in privacy and comfort,” she said.

Describing how the space will support families, Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Dr Carmen ‘Cindy’ Rhoden, said “parents will now be able to participate in their baby’s care, access counselling in private, and receive emotional support during what can often be an incredibly stressful time.”

This initiative follows the Sandals Foundation’s 2024 contribution of $1.5 million towards renovating the hospital’s chapel.

The Bustamante Hospital for Children remains the only specialist pediatric facility in the English-speaking Caribbean and continues to depend on public-private partnerships to maintain its standard of care.

Renovated Nursing Department at the Bustamante Hospital for Children