IN response to the increased strain being placed on the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital to deliver critical medical services in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the University Hospital of the West Indies’ (UHWI) private Tony Thwaites Wing (TTW) last week made a timely and urgent donation of hospital beds and essential medical equipment to the facility.

The donation, which included 15 hospital beds and three vital signs machines, was made last Thursday by TTW Board Chairman Mark Thwaites and members of the TTW management team, following a handover event in Kingston.

According to a release from TTW, in welcoming the donation Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital CEO Roan Grant said: “The donation comes at a critical time for us here at the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital as it will make an immediate and meaningful impact on our ability to facilitate continuity of quality patient care more effectively, and significantly enhance our capacity to handle the high influx of patients that we are committed to care for.”

Recently, clinicians and health leaders at the hospital have outlined the strain on services in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, arising from overcrowding, infrastructure damage, and increased demand for accident and emergency services.

The TTW donation, the release said, aims to assist in easing some of these pressures by providing equipment and supplies that can be put to immediate use in patient care areas.

In making the donation, Thwaites said: “This donation reflects the Tony Thwaites Wing’s commitment to strengthening Jamaica’s health-care system through practical partnerships — especially during periods of national hardship. Savanna-la-Mar Hospital has been under extraordinary pressure as Westmoreland continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, and we at the [Tony Thwaites] Wing are proud to be able to contribute in such a tangible and meaningful way.”

Senior medical officer at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, Dr Suman Vemu also welcomed the support.

“We are grateful for this timely donation from the Tony Thwaites Wing,” he said. “These additional beds and equipment will support our team as we continue to manage elevated demand and ongoing recovery work. It could not have come at a better time.”

Meanwhile, TTW General Manager Judith Price emphasised that the donation is part of Tony Thwaites Wing’s broader approach to community and national support, strengthening care delivery capacity, and reinforcing public confidence in the health-care system. She also noted that it demonstrates TTW’s solidarity with institutions serving vulnerable populations during recovery periods.

The Tony Thwaites Wing is the private wing of the UHWI, providing top-quality, patient-focused care supported by specialist expertise and modern facilities. Though a privately run and managed health-care facility, TTW was created by benevolent members of the private sector of Jamaica and generous individuals, as a charitable organisation.

Since inception, profits from the Tony Thwaites Wing have been used to support and upgrade the facilities and services at the University Hospital of the West Indies, to better serve the needs within the public health-care system.