ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Medical personnel and staff at the maternity section of the St Jago Park Health Centre will be better empowered to care for their patients, thanks to a donation of clinical equipment by the VM Foundation.

The handover of equipment valued at just under $1.2 million took place recently at the St Jago Park Health Centre, which is the main referral centre for all clinics in St Catherine.

The donation forms part of a commitment made by the VM Foundation in 2022 to provide $4.5 million in support to the facility over three years, through the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Adopt-A-Clinic programme. The sum will be used to purchase needed equipment and to fund other support programmes.

Chief Executive Officer of the VM Foundation, Samantha Charles, said the partnership is in direct alignment with the goals of the foundation.

“One of our core mandates is parenting, and equipping parents with the tools to foster positive relationships with their children and support their cognitive, social and emotional development. Access to quality pre- and post-natal care, paediatric care and other support systems can play a huge role in determining the physical and emotional health of parents and children, especially in their formative years. Our support to this facility which serves so many individuals is critical, and we hope to, over time, make additional contributions for the benefit of more parents,” Charles said.

The donation included a hand-held foetal doppler, digital blood pressure machine, manual blood pressure machine, LED examination light, digital scale, paediatric scale, sponge holding forceps and uterine sound equipment.

Dr Kathi-Mae Dockery, a medical officer (Health) at the St Catherine Health Department, welcomed the donation and the partnership with the VM Foundation.

“Many individuals are referred to the facility on an ongoing basis, especially at the maternity centre. Therefore, it is always important to ensure that we have functioning equipment to allow us to effectively care for our patients. This contribution will go a far way in helping us deliver on our commitment to providing optimal maternal healthcare services. Our team looks forward to the continued support of the VM Foundation as we seek to meet our healthcare objectives as a facility and impact the nation,” Dockery said.

The St Jago Park Health Centre was first adopted by the VM Foundation in 2018. Since then, they have facilitated infrastructure repairs and donations of clinical and facility equipment valued at $3 million, including a critical X-ray machine.

The foundation also continues to organise and facilitate parenting support sessions and financial literacy training for users of the facility.