Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 12, 2016 (SKNIS): Minister of Health Honourable Eugene Hamilton had the pleasant task of accepting EC$50,000, US$50,000, wheel chairs and other supplies for the Joseph N. France General Hospital and the St. Kitts-Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities, on Friday (September 09, 2016).
The students of Windsor University contributed EC$50,000 from their Annual Windsor University Joseph N France (JNF) General Hospital Concert. Medical Chief of Staff, Acting Chief Medical Officer and lecturer at Windsor University Dr. Cameron Wilkinson explained how the concert was first started and said that it was the brainchild of Dr. Natalie Osbourne and himself.
“Four years ago, myself and Dr. Osbourne came up with an idea to organize a concert to raise funds for the hospital. We were tired of the complaints of shortages in our healthcare system and realized it was unreasonable to expect Government to foot the bill for everything we needed, cognizant of the fact that our healthcare system is already heavily subsidized. We decided that we would raise funds using the creative talents of the students from Windsor University who use the institution for their clinical education.”
Dr. Wilkinson thanked the major concert sponsors: the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank, the Development Bank, FLOW, Windsor University, Ross Veterinary School of Medicine, Ross University, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Vibes, Amory Enterprises, Adrian Lam, and Loftus Lighting, the Windsor students, the JNF nursing staff along with Drs. Joylette Woodley, Darrel Warner and Bichara Sahely. Dr. Natalie Osbourne and the Operating Theatre Staff were thanked for setting up the monitors.
Minister Hamilton explained how he was able to seek grant assistance through High Commissioner of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, His Excellency Kevin Isaac who is based at the Embassy in London. He said discussions were held in May and October of last year. The networking efforts of the Ambassador resulted in contact being made with the “A Small World Foundation,” a leading private international lifestyle club, making a three-year commitment of US$50,000, annually, among other gifts.
Minister Hamilton said that Patrick Liotard-Vogt Chairman of the organisation visited the Federation on April 25, 2016, took a tour of the JNF Hospital and met with Dr. Wilkinson and JNF Matron Sonia Daly-Finley.
“And so I’m pleased today to thank him for his efforts so far. For firstly setting about to find sources and as a result of his efforts a foundation that was established in Germany, called “A Small World Foundation” has committed support of US$50,000 per year for the next three years.”
The Minister further read a commitment letter that promised that the foundation would procure equipment and seek funding from partner organisations. Specifically, Mr. Liotard-Vogt wrote of the possibility of getting a larger grant of US$250,000 for equipment and ambulances.
Minister Hamilton revealed that the Ambassador’s efforts also resulted in the donation of six wheelchairs, walkers with wheels, crutches and incontinence pads. He said that of the donations from London, two of the wheelchairs were for specific individuals and the remainder would be given to the St. Kitts-Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities to distribute as it saw fit. The other medical paraphernalia were presented to the JNF Hospital.
All donations were accepted by Minister Hamilton who noted that the monetary funding was used to purchase 25 electrocardiogram (EKG) cardiac monitors and four cardiac defibrillators. According to Dr. Wilkinson, this ensures that every bed in the recovery room will have its own cardiac monitor, as well as the emergency room, the intensive care unit, the private and maternity wards. Similarly, each of the 11 health centres in St. Kitts now has a cardiac monitor. The new cardiac defibrillators were placed in the emergency room, the operating theatre between the medical and surgical ward, and at the Pogson Medical Centre.
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