Governor-General Urges Hospital Staff to Remain Steadfast

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, has urged staff of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, in Kingston, to remain steadfast, despite the challenges.

“We need to be calm and confident…we have to brace and face up to the challenges that we encounter.  For the challenges in the health sector…we’re going to be more alert, check out all the facts, see where we have weaknesses and where we can fix them,” said the Governor-General.

The Governor-General was delivering his address to hospital staff during his annual Yuletide visit to the medical facility, on December 8. He was accompanied by his wife, Lady Allen.

He also used the opportunity to laud the team at the hospital for their diligence and commitment which, he said, was evidenced in the hospital’s cleanliness, ambience and morale of the medical staff.

Meanwhile, Board Chairman of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), Dr. Andrei Cooke, in his address, maintained SERHA’s commitment to providing world class healthcare in Jamaica.

“Though the naysayers speak ill of the healthcare system, we at SERHA continue to work to improve the health care we offer to our clients and the people of Jamaica,” he said.

Dr. Cooke  mentioned  several donations received by the hospital throughout the year, including  20 pieces of equipment that were purchased for the hospital through a grant of US$117,000 from the Government of Japan; and  $70 million for the establishment of a cardiac catheterisation laboratory,  through the Shaggy Foundation.

He congratulated the hospital’s staff for its health care provision to not only the more than 40,000 child patients seen for 2015 so far, but for the transformation that has taken place at the institution.

The Governor-General and Lady Allen toured the orthopaedic and medical wards, delivering toys and other treats to children and their parents.