WASHINGTON – The U.S. Embassy last week made a donation of US$10,000 (J$859,000) worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Ministry of Health. The donation was made by LTC Robert Wagner, chief of the Embassy’s Military Liaison Office (MLO) on behalf of the United States Southern Command (Southcom).
In making the presentation, LTC Wagner said the genesis of this donation began nearly a year ago, when the Government of Jamaica, sought the assistance of the U.S. government. According to LTC Wagner, various agencies of the U.S. government including Southcom, USAID and the U.S. Department of State pursued ways to support and partner with both the government and people of Jamaica.
“I stand before you today to publicly acknowledge the strength of our partnership and relationship,” said LTC Wagner, a partnership formed out of shared democratic values, shared culture, and a shared vision of health for our families and children. As a symbol of our partnership, I am proud to offer these medical supplies given by the by U.S. Southern Command and know that the Ministry of Health will put it to good use.”
In addition to the generous donation, LTC Wagner also announced the arrival in Jamaica of the ship USNS Comfort. The Comfort is a hospital ship which has served many nations providing health and humanitarian care. It will be in Jamaica as part of a four month humanitarian & civic assistance deployment in Latin America and the Caribbean and will be docked in the Kingston Harbour. Over 150 surgical procedures are expected to be done on board the Comfort. The beneficiaries have all been pre-determined and pre-screened by the Ministry of Health.
Hospital Ship
USNS Comfort doctors and nurses will with the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), provide primary medical, dental and optical care on a first come first serve basis to Jamaicans from two locations – At the National Arena, April 14 – 21 and the Windward Road Health Centre April 15-17. Both locations will see approximately 500 persons per day.
Dr. Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health said the donation supports the government’s position that every Jamaican should have access to quality healthcare without a cost impediment. “We are working ardently to build a world-class health sector that can mirror that of first world countries. It is a lofty goal, but the task is not impossible,” she said.
