Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 27, 2016 (SKNIS): The Paediatric Ward of the Joseph N. France General (JNF) Hospital has been gifted with a quantity of medical equipment valued at EC $125, 000.00, procured with funds raised by a charity organization, Paediatric Assistance League of St. Kitts (PALS).
An official ceremony was held to mark the handing-over of the equipment, which took place at the Joseph N. France General (JNF) Hospital on Friday, 22nd July. Some of the medical equipment received include an air compressor, a humidifier with an infusion pump, and a ventilator, which are used to help children with respiratory problems.
Those in attendance at the ceremony included Minister of State with responsibility for Health, Community Development, Gender Affairs and Social Services, Senator Wendy Phipps; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ionie Liburd-Willett; Acting Operations Manager, Ms. Gail Cranstoun; Director of Institutional Nursing Services, Mrs. Sonia Finley; representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Patrice Williams-Lawrence; Country Programme Specialist, Ms. Abigail Leader; Head Pediatrician, Dr. Ian Jacobs; other senior health officials and representative from Tropical Shipping, Mrs. Youlouca Armony-Browne.
Senator Phipps hailed PALS for its track record in corporate social responsibility.
“On behalf of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the Pediatric Assistance League of St. Kitts (PALS) for the continued and steadfast contribution to the development of healthcare in the Federation, as it relates to our pediatric portion of the population,” she said.
Senator Phipps highlighted some of the challenges affecting the Pediatric Ward including adolescent health in relation to the teenage pregnancy rate, and the challenges that are associated with it.
She said “We realize that your adolescence years are a time of challenge, a time of raging hormones and a time of confusion, mentally and otherwise. It is also a time when we would prefer our young people to focus on the business of growing up rather than to focus on the complications that come with unplanned pregnancies.”
Continuing to speak of the adolescent population, the Senator referenced findings of a recent HPV study which she said indicated that, “these same young persons are at risk for cancers as it relates to papilloma virus because of the early engagement in sexual activity.”
Also speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ionie Liburd-Willett, said that the donation is timely and welcome, while adding that, “It will lend much needed support to the efforts of the Newborn Nursery Staff as they work to reduce the number of deaths in infants born with life threatening respiratory complications.”
Speaking about the infant population, Mrs. Liburd-Willett said that the records indicate that the common respiratory conditions in newborns are related to respiratory distressed syndrome as a result of prematurity and pneumonia.
“These newborns will receive treatment in the intensive care section of the Newborn Nursery, thus strengthening our health service delivery,” she said.
Mrs. Liburd-Willett thanked the donors for the respiratory equipment while noting other respiratory illnesses such as bronchiolitis and asphyxia during delivery, which are common causes of death.
“One death is one death too many and the Ministry of Health is extremely grateful for the collaborations of the partners as we strive to significantly reduce deaths and complications,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the PALS President, Mrs. Giselle Matthews expressed thanks to individuals, some who donated but preferred to remain anonymous as well as companies such as Gold Partner, Delisle Walwyn and Company Limited (Tropical Shipping), PAHO and the ECCB (Eastern Caribbean Central Bank) Staff Association.
The donation represents a small part of the wider programme of partnership between the Ministry of Health and PALS
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
