MONTEGO BAY, St James — Planned long before Hurricane Melissa left a trail of damage in sections of south and western Jamaica, The Hummingbirds Association of the Bahamas’s donation to Cornwall Regional Hospital’s (CRH) paediatric unit has now taken on even greater significance.

“Having gone through the hurricane and lost some of our equipment… this gift is very timely and will help to increase the number of bassinets and other equipment we have on the ground immediately to serve the population we have now at this time,” said CRH’s grateful CEO Charmaine Williams-Beckford.

Six bassinets were among a range of equipment, valued at $1.2 million, handed over by representatives of the association.

“I’m elated. We’re blessed here at CRH, we’re really blessed. We are happy and thankful for the support,” Williams-Beckford added.

Hummingbirds’ Public Relations Officer Sharon Purser-Cooper said the donation had been planned before Hurricane Melissa struck, but checks with the health ministry showed that support for the paediatric unit was, fortuitously, in line with State-level efforts to recover from the storm.

“It is now even more timely in view of the fact that there is devastation, dislocation, and some serious challenges to health care in Jamaica,” Purser-Cooper stressed.

“We were advised by the Ministry of Health that there is a focus in Jamaica on improving paediatric health-care quality,” she added.

Purser-Cooper explained that after engaging CRH officials the group received a list of priority items, and they got everything requested.

“Here we have six bassinets; we also have baby scales, and infusion pumps, and a laryngoscope — all for the improvement of care to the children, to the babies,” she said.

She added that the donation is consistent with the association’s long-standing commitment to supporting Jamaica’s public health sector. Medical facilities across the country that have benefited in the past include Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), Bustamante Children’s Hospital, St Ann’s Bay Hospital, Port Maria Hospital, Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, St Elizabeth’s Black River Hospital, and Princess Margaret Hospital in St Thomas.

Addressing the broader impact of Hurricane Melissa, Purser-Cooper said additional assistance is already en route to Jamaica.

“We have sent three 40-feet containers of hurricane relief to Jamaica. They are now in port, and for the powers that be that will [read] this interview, we need them to be cleared right away so we can get them to the people who need them,” she appealed.

While they wait for those items to be cleared, they have been taking other steps to help those in need. Items provided include cleaning supplies, bleach and chlorine tablets, along with buckets.

“We got a list from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) of the things needed… and then we set up a hurricane relief centre in The Bahamas for persons to drop off items,” Purser-Cooper explained.

“Also, the medical community was mobilised. One of the private hospitals in The Bahamas, through us, donated two pallets of medical supplies, and the list is great. There’s non-perishable items, clothing, toiletries, the works,” she added.

There are also efforts being made to provide other forms of assistance.

“In the planning now is the sending of huge generators that was requested by the Government, and so we can expect that very soon,” Purser-Cooper promised.

From left: Director of nursing services (acting) at Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) Allison Chambers; hospital CEO Charmaine Williams-Beckford; public relations officer, The Hummingbirds Association of the Bahamas, Sharon Purser-Cooper; and CRH Operations Manager Cassandra Laing admire some of the items donated Monday.