The Tribune

Patients of the Paediatric Department at Nassau’s Princess Margaret Hospital will now be examined by and treated with state-of-the-art equipment thanks to a sizeable donation by the Sandals Foundation.

The equipment, which is valued at $13,000, will serve approximately 1,000 children who use the medical facility on an annual basis.

Speaking at the official handing-over exercise with representatives from Sandals Royal Bahamian, Dr Marcia Bassett, head of Department of Paediatrics at PMH said: “The donation will significantly improve the operation of the Paediatric Ward and the care given to patients and their families.”

“We are so, so happy that Sandals chose us to be the recipient of this donation. These are well needed items and the team can’t wait to start using them,” she added.

The newly received medical equipment includes a hand-held pulse oximeter for measuring the amount of oxygen in the blood; a vital sign monitor with stand and accessories to help doctors check each vital sign of a patient, accurately record changes in the patient’s condition and adjust medicines accordingly to provide the best care possible, and a mobile digital chair scale which allows patients who have physical limitations, poor balance or weak legs to be weighed while seated.

A Natus phototherapy blanket has also been purchased and will be delivered to the hospital in the coming weeks. The intensive phototherapy system will offer newborns with jaundice the best treatment and start in life.

Heidi Clarke, executive director at the Sandals Foundation, said they are honoured to be able to support the family-centered care that the hospital provides.

“As a Foundation that serves the Caribbean and its people, we are always on the look-out for programmes that provide sustainable development of Caribbean communities,” she said.

PMH, she added, “serves an extraordinary need by offering equitable access to healthcare. We are very happy that we were in a position to help this hospital serve the people.”

The Paediatric Ward and its equipment were damaged during the passage of Hurricane Irma in 2017. The donation is therefore strongly aligned with two major outreach programmes of the Sandals Foundation – community development and disaster relief.