Rita Marley (left) greets Beverly Needham (second right), CEO of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, yesterday during the official handing over of equipment to the Surgical and Burnt wards at the hospital. Looking on are Dr Sonia Henry (right), senior medical officer at the hospital, and Lorna Wainwright, project coordinator at Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood)

The Surgical Ward and the Burnt Unit at the Bustamante Hospital for Children yesterday received much needed equipment that will enhance their ability to deal with emergencies such as cardiac or respiratory arrests in children.

The equipment, valued at over $1 million, was donated by Rita Marley - widow of legendary reggae icon Bob Marley - on behalf of Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE) and included 10 Truphatek Fibre Optical Laryngoscope sets, blood pressure machines, chairs for parents and nurses, one Mayo Stand for the operating theatre, stand-mounted suction pump and Metro Basic Crash Cart.

"It is something in our vocabulary that the aged be protected and the infant cared for. And URGE is an organisation that does that all over the world, not only in Jamaica, and we see it very important to put our hands out for the children, especially those in need," Marley told the Observer.

"There are many needs, but when you come to a place like Bustamante Hospital and see what the children are going through, we constantly give equipment that they request. and we look forward to contributing more to the hospital," she added.

Dr Sonia Henry, senior medical officer at the hospital, told the Observer that the Laryngoscope is used for resuscitation after a child has stopped breathing or is not breathing properly. While she was unable to say how many Laryngoscopes were being used at the hospital prior to the donation, Dr Henry said the new equipment would replace some of the older ones.

"When you want to either remove secretion or suction to look into the airway or to attend to the airway, it [Laryngoscope] is passed into the mouth to push the tongue out of the way so you can see all the way down to the airway," she said, adding that there are different sizes.

The crash cart, she added, will be very useful during emergencies because it can be filled with drugs and pushed towards the bed to treat a patient in distress.

"It will be good to have it because you have everything that you need," she said.

URGE is operated by Marley's offspring and works to help children worldwide.

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