The U.S. Navy ship the USS HAWES, which docked in Ocho Rios last week, donated boxes of useful medical and hygiene supplies to the 250-bed St. Ann’s Bay Hospital on Tuesday, August 25, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Project Handclasp humanitarian program. HAWES Commanding Officer CDR Kristin E. Jacobsen presented dozens of boxes of much needed materials to Ministry of Health officials at the W. W. “Buddy” Wilson Block of the St. Anne’s Bay Hospital at the rear of the medical campus.
“Its all part of being a good neighbor,” CDR Jacobsen said.
The supplies, which included everything from baby lotion to microbiological swabs, were wheeled in on borrowed gurneys for the exchange ceremony. Dr. Horace Betton, Senior Medical Officer at St. Ann’s Bay, was particularly glad to have those items which are of use to infants. The hospital recently added pediatrics and maternity care to its list of services, which have proven immensely popular. Chief administrator for the facility Carmen Johnson pointed out that all donations are of very great value. She also added that the hospital has specific needs as well, most especially an ambulance.
Regional Director at the North East Regional Health Authority Suzette Morris said she was “overjoyed” both with the donations and “the friends we didn’t know we even had.”
Commander Kristin Jacobsen of the USS Hawes assists Ms. Carmen Johnson in unpacking Project Handclasp supplies at St. Ann’s Bay Hospital on August 25.