Members of the Morant Bay High School classes of 1978 and 1979 stand with the donated medical equipment which they helped provide to improve patient care at Princess Margaret Hospital. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)
March 11, 2025
$1-m boost for Princess Margaret Hospital
THE St Thomas-based Princess Margaret Hospital has received a significant boost with the donation of medical equipment valued at more than $1 million from St Thomas Renaissance Foundation and its partners.
The donation, which includes 12 medical oxygen concentrator machines, and three Prothrombin Time/International Normalised Ratio (PT/INR) machines — which measure how many seconds it takes for a clot to form in a blood sample — will greatly enhance patient care at the hospital.
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The oxygen concentrator machines were provided by St Thomas Renaissance Foundation in collaboration with Morant Bay High School classes of 1978 and 1979, and a past student of Seaforth High School.
The foundation partnered with Rotary Club of Downtown Kingston to acquire the PT/INR machines.
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During the handover ceremony at the hospital on Thursday, Kameisha Thomas, acting chief executive officer of the facility, expressed deep gratitude for the donation.
“I am indeed happy to be here to receive these donations…We serve a population of approximately 120,000, spanning from east St Andrew, east Portland, and St Thomas. Sometimes patients from as far as the west come in seeking service based on what we offer here,” said Thomas.
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In the meantime Dr Shaun Smith, consultant general surgeon at the hospital, highlighted the critical role the equipment will play in patient care.
He pointed out that among the services the hospital is now offering is keyhole surgery where an operation is carried out without making a large incision.
“These machines will assist us greatly, especially in cases where patients need oxygen supplementation while awaiting transfer to facilities with intensive care units such as KPH [Kingston Public Hospital], or UWI [University Hospital of the West Indies],” said Smith.
“Now for the PT/INR machines, I am overjoyed as a surgeon. These machines will make our lives easier, enabling us to perform surgeries without unnecessary delays,” added Smith.
The St Thomas Renaissance Foundation is dedicated to the development and upliftment of the parish through community-driven initiatives, partnerships, and philanthropy.
The foundation actively engages with alumni groups, businesses, and stakeholders to support health, education, and infrastructure projects in St Thomas.
Travis Smith, a director at the foundation, explained the importance of the donation.
“These concentrators pull air from the environment, purify it, and provide oxygen without requiring refills like traditional cylinder-based machines. Each machine costs approximately $100,000, and thanks to our partners, we secured them at a reduced rate,” said Smith.
“Moving forward, our goal is to provide at least one oxygen concentrator to each of the health centres in St Thomas, so we call on others to partner with us on this next phase of the project,” added Smith.
The donation comes at a crucial time, as St Thomas undergoes rapid development — with the expansion of the Southern Coastal Highway and the construction of the Morant Bay Urban Centre — and Dr Christopher Munroe, acting parish manager for St Thomas Health Department, noted that demand on the hospital is expected to double in the near future.
“We welcome this donation wholeheartedly. The additional oxygen machines will be used as bedside oxygen units on the wards, ensuring that more patients receive the care they need,” said Munroe.
Meanwhile, senior medical officer for St Thomas Dr D’Oyen Smith acknowledged the ongoing struggle for resources in the parish and praised the foundation for its commitment to giving back to the community.
“Our parish is built on partnerships; there is always a competition with Kingston, St Andrew, or St Catherine for resources, for funding, and for support. This donation is not just about improving patient care. It’s about improving the quality of life for our people by our people of the parish,” said Smith.
Princess Margaret is the only hospital in St Thomas and it is classified as a Type C facility. It commemorated its 70th anniversary this year as it was officially opened on February 23, 1955 by Princess Margaret.
