The ongoing partnership between United States (US)-based non-profit organisation, Right Now For Jamaica (RNFJ), and Percy Junor Hospital in Clarendon, has resulted in the donation of more than $60 million worth of medical equipment and supplies.

The total was boosted by the official handover of supplies valued at approximately US$400,000 on Friday (August 21).

The items donated include hospital beds, resuscitation equipment, IV poles, recliners, mattresses, overbed tables, tablets, computers, and a wide range of medical equipment and patient-care supplies.

These are expected to enhance the quality of patient care and strengthen the facility’s capacity to meet the needs of those it serves.

RNFJ is a diaspora-led organisation based in Maryland that supports healthcare and community development initiatives in Jamaica.

Delivering the keynote address during the handover ceremony, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Hon. Ambassador Audrey Marks, commended RNFJ for its swift response in identifying and addressing the needs of Percy Junor Hospital following Hurricane Melissa.

She praised the organisation for visiting the facility, consulting with staff, and providing support where it was most needed.

“They saw the pressure on the operating theatre, the needs of the paediatric unit and the challenges affecting out-patient services. We talked about equipment, rehabilitation, trauma readiness, digital systems and the clinical environment in which health care professionals were asked to work. We saw a team of doctors and nurses doing their best with what was available to them,” Ambassador Marks said.

The Minister also commended the hospital staff for their unwavering commitment to patient care, despite the challenges and resource constraints they faced.

She noted that in the weeks following Hurricane Melissa, Percy Junor Hospital served patients from as far away as St. Elizabeth, underscoring the facility’s critical role in the region’s healthcare system.

Ambassador Marks recalled that when RNFJ unveiled the RNFJ-PJH Ambulatory Clinic earlier this year, a $30 million modular container-based facility, the organisation had made it clear that it wanted more than a makeshift clinic.

She noted that the facility was designed with eight fully equipped examination rooms, triage capacity, procedural surgical care, office space, patient recovery bays, and support for primary care, paediatric services, and specialist consultations.

“Critically, resilience has been built into the facility, with backup power, an independent water supply, and off-grid capabilities,” the Minister added.

Highlighting the digital component of the ambulatory clinic, Ambassador Marks noted that the tablets and computers donated by RNFJ would help facilitate Percy Junor Hospital’s planned transition to an electronic medical records system.

Meanwhile, RNFJ President, Dr. Maurice Miles, said the organisation was formed by a group of diaspora Jamaicans in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, driven by a desire to support the country’s recovery efforts.

He said many of the members have backgrounds in healthcare and education, and travelled to Jamaica last November to assess the impact of the hurricane and determine where assistance was most needed.

Based on those assessments, Dr. Miles said the group chose Percy Junor Hospital as its primary focus, paving the way for the partnership that now exists between RNFJ and the institution.

Meanwhile, RNFJ Director, Rosalee Gordon, said the foundation’s goal is to support the team at Percy Junor Hospital in delivering quality care to patients, highlighting the members’ deep love for Jamaica despite being based in different locations overseas.

Ms. Gordon said that, in addition to healthcare, education remains a key area of focus for the foundation, as it is the engine that drives opportunity. She noted that RNFJ is therefore committed to supporting both sectors.

She also acknowledged the contributions of Matter NGO and Yassuh, a Jamaican-founded company, for their consistent support whenever called upon.

Ms. Gordon further lauded the many contacts, partnerships, and relationships that the organisation leverages to carry out its work.

RNFJ Vice President, Dr. Trudy Hall, who was also in attendance, said she was honoured to help bridge critical gaps and provide resources to support the exceptional care that healthcare workers deliver to patients daily.

“Every day you save a life, a child is cared for… every day someone gets care to go back home to their families. RNFJ is here as a long-term partner to help you do that,” she stated.