Private Entities Encouraged To Adopt Areas Within Public Health Facilities

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert- Flynn, is encouraging private-sector entities to adopt areas within public health facilities, to enhance the services provided.

Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn, who was speaking in an interview with JIS News following work done at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital on Labour Day (May 23), said that when private entities come on board, they can identify ways in which they can assist the health facilities.

“Maternal Health is one of my areas and the Senior Medical Officer at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Dr. Garth McDonald, and I talked about doing several things at the facility, including sprucing up the fourth floor to make it better for our mothers,” she said.

“Fortunately, Cals Enterprise Jamaica decided to come on board and adopt a ward for Labour Day,” the State Minister added.

She said the entity did some painting and will redo floors, cupboards, and the nurses’ station, “just to make the place more presentable for the nurses, the doctors and the patients”.

State Minister Cuthbert-Flynn noted that some work was also done in the parking area, with painting of the parking lot and some general sprucing up.

She thanked the Cals team for its work in bringing some joy to the country’s only maternity hospital.

“I was very excited to see Cals coming on board and we are very grateful to them. I think this is something that we want to do, to ask private entities in Jamaica to come on board, and give a helping hand,” she said, adding that Government cannot do it all.

The State Minister contended that an all-hands-on-deck approach is needed and extended the call for private entities to get involved.

“We invite anybody else who wants to do something to lend a hand to one of the floors or to come and adopt a ward,” Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn said.

The State Minister said she is also extending the invitation of support for the Kingston Public Hospital and other hospitals across the country.

She noted that the Ministry has seen the difference that the ongoing Adopt-a-Clinic Programme has made, highlighting that primary healthcare in Jamaica has been boosted through philanthropic efforts of individuals and the corporate social responsibility of entities.