ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – The Black River Hospital (BRH) in St Elizabeth has received a donation of medical equipment and supplies valued at US$350,000.

The donation was made possible through a partnership between Javion Blake, founder of Jus Chill International and Project CURE, a non-profit organisation, which focuses on global health aid.

In addition, the donation marks the beginning of a four-year partnership with the hospital.

The donation include a laparoscopic machine and supplies; an anaesthetic machine and monitor, a colposcope, a defibrillator and supplies, an autoclave machine, a pulse oximeter, nebulizers, sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, thermometers, patient beds, a stretcher, an adult scale, examination tables, wheelchairs, gloves, goggles, gowns, N-95 masks, dental supplies and instruments, dressing supplies, syringes, respiratory and nebulizer supplies, diapers, endoscopy supplies, feotal monitor and supplies, monitors, crutches, office chairs and a small refrigerator.

The items were officially handed over on March 20 on the grounds of the hospital and will be distributed to the BRH, the Santa Cruz Health Centre and the Black River Health Centre in the parish.

The allocation of the donations was coordinated by Dr Conway Gordon, who, as a locum medical student from China, completed a year observing at the BRH some time ago and had promised to give back to the hospital.

“While at the Black River Hospital, I realised how the staff did so much with little resources and with great passion. This passion was not only evident in how they care for the patients that they serve but for the people of the community as well as the students who observed there. It inspired me both professionally and personally and drove me to find a way give back to the hospital. So, I reached out to my friend Javion Blake, an entrepreneur and innovator who I know has a penchant for philanthropy. He made some contacts and that is how Project CURE was able to respond so promptly to collaborate with us and make the donation, which we are really grateful for,” Dr Gordon said.

“The aim is to use this as a pilot project to try and launch even bigger donation innovations across the island. If not by Javion and myself, then by others who can be inspired by what we are trying to do. We need more efforts like this and I am happy that I was able to assist in giving back to the hospital and the people of St Elizabeth in this way,” Dr Gordon added.

Consultant Paediatrician for the BRH, Dr Aggrey Sajabi, who was on hand to accept the donation, expressed gratitude to Project CURE for contributing in such a meaningful way.

He explained that a team of physicians, electricians and medical technologists from Project CURE assessed the facilities which will receive the items and matched the types of equipment needed with the equipment that they had.