The Ginger Hill Health Centre in St. Elizabeth, which serves some 2000 persons annually, has been adopted by the National Supply Foundation, under the Ministry of Health and Wellness' Adopt-A-Clinic programme.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton (right-seated) signs the Memorandum of Understanding to signal the commitment of the National Supply Foundation to adopt the Ginger Hill Health Centre in St. Elizabeth, which will support the facility for three years to the tune of J$ 3 million. Benefactor of the Foundation, Nigel Chen See (seated-left) signed on behalf of the Foundation. Participating in the signing also are: (standing left to right) Regional Technical Director for the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Dr. Vitillius Holder, Benefactor of the Foundation Donovan Chen See, Parish Manager for the St. Elizabeth Health Services, Sean Brissett and Regional Director for the SRHA, Michael Bent. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Friday, August 14 on the grounds of the health centre to signal the commitment by the National Supply Foundation to support the facility to the tune of J$ 3 million for three years.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, who delivered the keynote address at the adoption ceremony, noted that under the Ministry’s Adopt-A-Clinic programme, some 30 clinics have been adopted by local and international, private sector and civil society adopters over the last 2 years.
“The Adopt–A-Clinic programme came out of a desire to try to engage the sense of community in building out a healthcare philosophy that says we are in fact our brother’s keeper. The programme has been able to raise some J$ 90 million and I am really heartened, happy and pleased with the expressions of interest by persons in the Diaspora and locally” Dr. Tufton said.
Dr. Tufton commended the Chen See family, who are owners of the National Supply Company Ltd., for adopting the clinic, noting that the family has connections with the Ginger Hill community as the patriarch of the family had settled and raised his family in the community.
“I really want to commend the Chen See family for really saying through this adoption that we are grateful to the people and to the community of Ginger Hill. We have benefitted in our own development and evolution as a family and we want to give back to help others to benefit similarly. One
of the messages that the local people should take from this experience… is that good things and good people can come from Ginger Hill.
Through the adoption commitment by the Chen See family, the Ginger Hill Health Centre, which was built in 1960, will be enhanced over the three years. The clinic, located in north western St. Elizabeth offers several services including: child health, family planning, antenatal, postnatal, nutrition and monitoring support, immunization, mental health, dressing and pap smear.
