In five months of operation, the High Dependency Unit (HDU) at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) is achieving its objective of lessening the burden on the recovery rooms and the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). With a 16-bed capacity, the HDU offers specialist nursing care and monitoring to seriously ill patients essentially operating as an intermediate level of care between what is provided on a general ward and the ICU.

The establishment of the unit was financed with a $50 million grant from the CHASE Fund and included the provision of critical-care beds, electrical surgical suction machines, physiological patient monitors, volumetric infusion pumps and other essential equipment.

The KPH performs on average 350 major surgeries per month with 276 minor or ambulatory cases.  The ICU has seven beds and prior to the establishment of the HDU, post-operative patients would have to be accommodated in the Recovery room.

Dr Natalie Whylie, Senior Medical Officer of the KPH stated that the hospital is the main provider of Intensive/Critical Care services in the Public Health care delivery system. Each day referrals for these services are received from hospitals throughout the entire island of Jamaica and most of these patients cannot be accommodated at KPH. “The capacity of the hospital to accept and manage seriously ill has been significantly enhanced,” she said.  Dr Whylie went on to note that the efficiency of the seven– bed Intensive Care has been expanded as patients can now be transferred to the HDU, allowing for greater utilisation and access. “The increased availability of beds in the Recovery room will in turn allow for more surgical procedures to be undertaken, with the resultant reduction in the waiting time for surgery.  The KPH Team is appreciative of the ongoing partnership with the CHASE Fund though the provision of this grant,” she stated.

‘Billy’ Heaven, CEO of the CHASE Fund said the stated objectives in the proposal submitted to the Fund for more efficient delivery of care was a no-brainer. ‘The Fund appreciated the potential for the HDU which would lead to more effective use of the ICU, remove pressure from the Recovery room and provide quality care for post-operative patients,” he said. He added that the fund had to date spent $4.6 billion in the health sector by upgrading infrastructure, acquiring modern equipment and technologies for hospitals, health centres and clinics and facilitating training of health care providers and also funding public education initiatives.

Support for the HDU falls under the CHASE Fund’s Health portfolio which to date has approved $4.6 billion for initiatives in the sector.

The Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre has been boosted with the gift of a portable ultrasound machine valued at $1.5 million.  The equipment and maintenance agreement – facilitated by the CHASE Fund, the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North and PROVEN Investment limited – is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency with which patients with spinal cord injuries are diagnosed and assessed.

Chief Medical Officer at the Centre, Dr. Rory Dixon, advised that approximately 4,400 patients are treated at the Centre annually, some with spinal cord injury. “These machines prevent patients from having to go externally to hospitals, pay for transportation with two nurses to accompany them. The portable ultrasound machine improves the health of the kidneys of patients with spinal cord injury,” he said.

The Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre provides rehabilitative health care for patients with physically altering body function.  It offers services such as: Physiotherapy, Prosthetics and Orthodontic manufacturing, speech therapy, counselling and social support and medical care.

Project Manager of the CHASE Fund, Latoya Aquart-Foster, pointed out that CHASE was pleased to partner with both the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North and PROVEN to provide the much-needed equipment to the Sir John Golding Rehhabilitation Centre.  “It will improve services to patients and that is the drive behind much of the Fund’s initiatives.”  Under its Health portfolio, the Fund supports the improvement of health facilities and the acquisition of vital equipment among other initiatives.

Lori Chuck, Past President of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North explained that the Rotary club had supplied a portable suction machine and wheelchairs with support from C&WJ Cooperative Credit Union to the rehabilitation centre in 2019.  “We are happy to be able to return to Sir John Golding and do yet another meaningful project to the benefit of present and future patients,” she said.  Kecia Taylor, Past Director of Service Projects added that this partnership allows us to execute our Rotary vision of Service Above Self.

Commenting on PROVEN’s coverage of the cost for the five year warranty, CEO of Proven Wealth Limited, Johann Heaven said  “This forms a part of our Corporate Social response to back community development through meaningful partnership and support; and this goes towards enabling securing a vital piece of equipment that impacts and changes lives with ripple effects”.

The CHASE Fund has handed over 1,400 copies of its publication, Kingston: A Treasure of the Caribbean to the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) for distribution to libraries islandwide.

The book, written by David Buckley with photographs by Kent Reid, details the rich and colourful history of Kingston presented through a tour of significant landmarks and sites of architectural, historical, political and social significance.

During the presentation at the CHASE Fund on June 10, 2020, CHASE CEO, W. Billy Heaven, noted that the book was produced under the Fund’s Arts and Culture portfolio.  “Since inception, CHASE has sponsored the publication of books that enhance the collection of outstanding historic and cultural works by Jamaican authors about Jamaica and the Caribbean.  It is our hope that this book will educate and foster a renewed perspective on Jamaica’s capital,” he said.  Mr. Heaven disclosed that CHASE has so far supported 96 publications.  “The publications which have received CHASE Fund support document Jamaica’s historical and cultural experience, academic and sports achievements and feature our poetry and other creative writings,” he said.

Director General of the JLS, Maureen Thompson, in acknowledging the donation said, “This publication provides an enchanting tour of the rich history of Kingston & St. Andrew colourfully photographed with a compelling narrative.” Miss Thompson commended CHASE Fund for recognizing libraries as focal points to make the publication available to citizens.

The book will be made available in the JLS islandwide network of school libraries and select public libraries. In addition to distribution by the JLS, copies will be made available to the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation, the Ministry of Tourism and the Office of the Prime Minister.

With the generous support of the CHASE Fund, the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) is now able to provide various types of non-invasive echocardiography testing for cardiac patients at its new Cardiology Unit. The Unit was officially opened on Wednesday, Novemmber 20, 2019.

Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health and Wellness, said that the $64 million investment made by CHASE increases the accessibility and standard of care to cardiac patients by increasing echocardiography services from 10 patients per week to 15 per day with the provision of additional services.

The establishment of the Unit is critical to KPH operations, as more than 25% of Jamaica’s adult population have at least one major risk factor of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). This condition is now the leading cause of deaths and disability in Jamaica.

Additional services such as 24-48 hour ECH monitoring and stress echocardiography are now provided.  On average, 160 echocardiogram requests are received at the KPH monthly.

A new building for the infant department at the Unity Primary and Infant School, was officially opened on November 14, 2019.  The renovation and expansion of the school, located in Bunkers Hill, Trelawny, was undertaken with a $28.4 million grant from the CHASE Fund.  The project included the renovation of the existing building into three classrooms; the construction of a kitchenette, sickbay, bathroom facility, storeroom, perimeter fence and administrative office; and the provision of kitchenequipment, classroom furniture, sickbay furniture and play equipment.

This Infant department was once a stand-alone basic school formally known as the Unity Basic School. However, in September 2015, under the Ministry of Education’s Rationalization programme, this basic school was converted into an infant department.  The Infant Department now caters to 60 students from the communities of Wakefield, Adelphi, Drumilley, Deeside and Bunkers Hill.

The Cambridge Infant School in St. James has been transformed with the construction of a new classroom block with funding from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund, (CHASE).  The handing over ceremony of the new building, took place on Thursday, June 20, 2019.   Included in the $38 million construction is a new kitchen, lunchroom and sanitary facilities.

Mrs. Latoya Aquart-Foster, Project Manager of CHASE, in her address to the appreciative audience made up of parents, teachers and community members, noted that modern infrastructure and age appropriate facilities, highly trained teachers and well-resourced programmes are essential elements of a quality and comprehensive learning environment for basic school students.  “These students are at a crucial stage of life in terms of their physical, intellectual, emotional, social and creative development and must be provided with positive learning experiences,” she said.

The school, which has been operating since 1951, has 115 students enrolled.