Diaspora Group Unveils Plans for US$175,000 Ambulatory Clinic at Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester

United States (US)-based non-profit organisation, Right Now for Jamaica (RNFJ), has put its money where its mission is. 

During the organisation’s inaugural fundraising gala, held on March 28 at the Royal Ballroom in Maryland, the Diaspora group announced plans to construct the Percy Junor Ambulatory Clinic—a modular, container-based healthcare facility—at an estimated cost of US$175,000, with construction targeted for completion before the end of the year. 

The gala, held under the patronage of Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, brought together members of the Jamaican Diaspora and friends of Jamaica in a fundraising drive directly tied to post-Hurricane Melissa rebuilding.  

Percy Junor Hospital, which serves as a critical referral facility for central Jamaica—sustained significant damage during the storm, yet continued to provide care for displaced and vulnerable citizens across the region. 

RNFJ Director, Dr. Trudy Hall, outlined the vision for the transformation during the fundraiser. 

“The Percy Junor Ambulatory Clinic is engineered for permanence and scalability. The design incorporates eight fully equipped examination rooms, triage capacity, procedural and surgical care, office space and patient recovery bays, all arranged around an efficient care corridor designed to support seamless clinical workflows while maintaining infection control and patient privacy,” she said. 

Dr. Hall told the more than 300 attendees that primary care, paediatric services, surgical procedures, and specialty and sub-specialty consultations will all be delivered under one roof. 

Critically, she emphasised, the facility is designed to withstand exactly what Percy Junor Hospital endured during the hurricane. Its modular architecture integrates backup power systems, independent water infrastructure, and full offgrid capability—making it, in the words of the RNFJ team, a “disasterready healthcare platform.” 

The facility, for which the groundwork is already being laid, will operate with a stateoftheart electronic medical records system, supported by computers and tablets delivered to Percy Junor Hospital by the RNFJ team in January. 

It was also disclosed that RNFJ has already secured approximately US$100,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment for shipment to the institution. 

The consignment includes new surgical instruments, automatic heart defibrillators, and four mobile ventilators—equipment that can mean the difference between stabilisation and death for cardiac or respiratory patients, before they can be transported to a tertiary facility. 

Dr. Hall delivered the most consequential announcement of the evening: RNFJ’s unveiling of an architectural prototype for a full replacement hospital at Percy Junor, adopting the same modular, resilient design philosophy as the clinic. 

She emphasised that the ambulatory clinic represents phase one, while the hospital replacement is the larger mission toward which the Diaspora is being asked to invest. 

For her part, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Hon. Ambassador Audrey Marks—who was the evening’s honoree—stated that the architectural model Dr. Hall presented was more than a rendering, describing it as a “reckoning.”  “This is how Jamaica is going to be rebuilt,” she underscored. 

Minister Marks, who serves as Member of Parliament for Manchester North Eastern—where the hospital is located—made it clear that her vision for Percy Junor is unambiguous: a firstclass facility that not only serves the constituency, but anchors the wider region’s healthcare future. 

“That is my intention. I thank you for sharing that dream with me tonight — to build the hospital and expand it to be first class, to serve the citizens of Manchester North Eastern and surrounding areas,” she stated, extending heartfelt gratitude to RNFJ for adopting the facility as a cause and for driving the project forward with the urgency it demands. 

Minister Marks also acknowledged the inaugural RNFJ President’s Award presented to her by the organisation—accepting it, she said, with humility and deep appreciation. 

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, in delivering the keynote address, made the case that Diaspora investment in Jamaica is not an act of generosity, but a strategic necessity. 

Drawing on the legacy of National Hero, the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Ambassador Anderson reminded the attendees of his foundational insight: that political freedom, without economic empowerment, remains fragile. 

Within that context, he asserted that the work RNFJ is undertaking at Percy Junor Hospital is not humanitarian, but nationbuilding. 

Meanwhile, Ambassador Anderson commended members of the Diaspora for their outpouring of support following Hurricane Melissa. 

 “My friends in the Diaspora, we need and appreciate the support you give us. But we are also seeking partnerships, and we are seeking investment from investors who want to grow with us and profit with us. So I invite you to look at Jamaica, not just as it is, but rather as a nation of opportunity,” he stated.  

Ambassador Anderson invited interested persons to explore investment in healthcare and medical tourism, agriculture, and critical minerals and natural resources—sectors he described as both lucrative and transformative, yielding strong returns while advancing national development. 

He emphasised that while the window of opportunity is open, it will not remain so indefinitely. 

“[Others are already moving]. Get in early. Build partnerships and secure your stake in Jamaica’s future,” the diplomat declared. 

Regarding Jamaica’s transformation, Ambassador Anderson said, “this is complemented by the Streamlining Processes for Efficiency and Economic Development (SPEED) initiative, led by the Hon. Minister Audrey Marks.” He added that SPEED is designed to improve efficiency and drive growth. 

In paying tribute to Minister Marks, Ambassador Anderson remarked: “Our honouree is clear about where she stands on this choice—hence the role the Prime Minister [Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness] has entrusted to her in shaping Jamaica’s future and getting us up to speed.” 

He indicated that Minister Marks embodies the essence of modern Jamaican leadership—global in experience, national in commitment, and unwavering in execution. 

“This is our Jamaica. We are people forged in adversity that do not surrender to circumstance, but are sustained through our individual and collective wills and belief,” Ambassador Anderson underscored.