Service delivery on the maternity ward at the Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, has been improved through the donation of a Cardiotocograph by the USA’s non-profit healthcare provider, Northwell Health, on Friday, January 20.
The equipment is utilised as part of routine prenatal care to assist in monitoring a baby’s heartbeat and the uterine contractions during pregnancy.
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The hospital now has three machines, all of which will be used to aid in monitoring more mothers in labour as well as allowing doctors to make clinical decisions to have safer deliveries.
Northwell Health’s Vice President of Public Health Advocacy, Dr. Sandra Lindsay, was on hand to present the machine to the Type C facility.
“I received a call from my very good friend who is from Hanover… who mentioned the need and that it would greatly improve the services offered here for expectant mothers and the outcomes. So, I immediately went to my hospital procurement, and I relayed the need and in typical Northwell Health fashion, they went and looked to see what they could do to help,” Jamaican-born Dr. Lindsay said.
“When I got the news that we had a piece of equipment that I could donate to the hospital, I was so elated [and] here I am handing it over and I couldn’t be prouder,” she added.
For his part, CEO of the Noel Holmes Hospital, Carlington McLennon, said the donation was timely, as Hanover is expanding in population, and cited recent housing developments.
He said demographic checks also revealed that quite a number of people are in their childbearing years, and so it is a strong possibility that in a year or two, deliveries in the parish might double.
“So, getting an equipment like this, it is so timely at this point. We are truly appreciative of the donation,” he added.
Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at Noel Holmes Hospital, Patrice Monthrope, lauded Northwell Health for the generous donation, and extended an invitation to charitable bodies to support the public health institution.
“We need more [patient] monitors, and we probably need delivery beds. We work with what we have, but those are also essential pieces of equipment that we need,” the SMO said.
Photo by Okoye Henry (JIS)
