Noel Holmes Hospital Gets Ambulance
By: November 13, 2017 ,The Key Point:
The Facts
- Mrs. Leslie who is from Cascade in Hanover, but now lives in the UK, said the vehicle is fully fitted with the most modern life-saving equipment.
- Senior Medical Officer of the Noel Holmes Hospital, Dr. Patrice Monthrope, in his remarks, said he is extremely pleased to accept the ultramodern gift, which will help the hospital to transfer its critical-care patients and staff in comfort.
The Full Story
The Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, recently received a new state-of-the-art ambulance, courtesy of the United Kingdom (UK) Chapter of the Friends of Noel Holmes Hospital.
The official handover of the ambulance was held on November 10, on the grounds of the hospital. The acquisition of the vehicle, which is valued at £40,000, was the brainchild of founder and chairperson of the charity, Gloria Leslie.
Mrs. Leslie who is from Cascade in Hanover, but now lives in the UK, said the vehicle is fully fitted with the most modern life-saving equipment.
She thanked the many supporters who helped to raise funds and assisted with the purchasing, shipping and clearance of the ambulance, including corporate sponsors Grace Foods and Victoria Mutual.
“Your critically ill can now be safely transferred to Montego Bay. It has been a long and exhausting road, but now we have a positive outcome… . We hope to assist in improving healthcare delivery in Hanover,” she said.
“I was born and raised in Cascade, Hanover, so I am a passionate Hanoverian. It is my passion to do this charity work for the people of Hanover,” Mrs. Leslie added.
Senior Medical Officer of the Noel Holmes Hospital, Dr. Patrice Monthrope, in his remarks, said he is extremely pleased to accept the ultramodern gift, which will help the hospital to transfer its critical-care patients and staff in comfort.
“We rely heavily on transferring patients from this facility to our receiving centres. This is a fantastic gift,” Dr. Monthrope said.
In May last year, Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, had put measures in place to make it easier for individuals and charitable organisations, such as the Friends of Noel Holmes Hospital, to support the health sector, after receiving complaints of bureaucratic delays at Customs and at the Ministry.
Dr. Tufton subsequently strengthened the Health for Life and Wellness Foundation in the Ministry, which deals with contributions of that nature and the coordination of non-profit activities within the Jamaican health sector.
The Minister said, at the time, that the Government would make it easier for people, whether local or overseas, to make donations, as they have a key role to play in helping the country bridge the gaps within the healthcare system.
He also contended that the move was of critical importance due to the significant in-kind and other contributions the more-than-200 charities have been providing for the development of the public health sector, which is estimated at about $4 billion.