KPH marks 250 years with free downtown health fair
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Members of the Surgix Jamaica team at their booth during the Kingston Public Hospital 250th Anniversary Health and Wellness Fair. Surgix Jamaica provides medical devices and healthcare solutions that support patient care across Jamaica.
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Dr Christopher Tufton, minister of health and wellness, stops by the Kingston Public Hospital Dietetics Department booth and engages with a member of the team during the hospital’s 250th Anniversary Health and Wellness Fair.
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Dr Trevor Bygrave (left), senior medical officer at Kingston Public Hospital; Dr Christopher Tufton (centre), minister of health and wellness; and Dwayne Francis, chief executive officer, during the Kingston Public Hospital 250th Anniversary Health and Wellness Fair, which brought together healthcare professionals, partners and members of the public for a day focused on wellness, prevention and community health.
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From left: Camille Hanson, dialysis technician; Shaunakaye Miller-Francis, senior certified nephrology nurse; Jacqueline Wallace, senior certified nephrology nurse; and Anthonia Richards-Stewart, nurse manager, Renal Unit, represented the Kingston Public Hospital Renal Unit at the hospital’s 250th Anniversary Health and Wellness Fair, where the team engaged patrons on kidney health and renal care.
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Carlington Willis, general manager of Eye Q Optical, provides a free eye examination as part of the vision screening services offered at the Kingston Public Hospital 250th Anniversary Health and Wellness Fair.
More than 250 people accessed free health screenings and wellness services in downtown Kingston recently as Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) took healthcare into the community as part of celebrations marking its 250th anniversary.
The Health and Wellness Fair, held at St William Grant Park on July 30, formed part of the hospital’s year-long anniversary programme being observed under the theme, ‘250 Years of Healing Jamaica’.
Members of the public received free blood pressure checks, body mass index assessments, blood cholesterol tests, vision screenings, Pap smears and mammograms. They also received health education and guidance from healthcare professionals on disease prevention, early detection and reducing the risk of chronic illnesses.
The event brought together several KPH departments, including the Renal Unit, Nursing Department, Physiotherapy Department and Dietary Services, along with the hospital’s Know Your Numbers initiative.
The Nurses Association of Jamaica, Bellevue Hospital, Jamaica Cancer Society, National Blood Bank and several private-sector organisations were also among the partners supporting the health fair.
KPH Acting Chief Executive Officer Dwayne Francis said the initiative reflected the hospital’s longstanding commitment to improving the health of Jamaicans and extending its services beyond the walls of the institution.
“This health fair reflects the hospital’s enduring commitment to improving the health of Jamaicans, giving back to communities we proudly serve. For 250 years, KPH has been a pillar of healthcare in Jamaica, providing compassionate, quality care to generations of patients,” Francis said.
“As we celebrate this historic milestone, we remain committed to extending our services beyond the hospital and into the community,” he added.
The health fair provided some participants with an opportunity to complete routine checks that they may otherwise have delayed, while others received information on managing existing health concerns and adopting healthier daily habits.
The initiative comes as Jamaica continues to grapple with a high burden of non-communicable diseases, with health officials stressing the importance of preventative care and early detection.
COMMENDED FOR SERVICE
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who addressed the event, commended KPH’s clinical and support staff for their service, noting that many continue to work under challenging circumstances.
“Today is also about celebrating the dedicated staff of Kingston Public Hospital, who continue to serve Jamaicans every day, often under very difficult circumstances, but with unwavering commitment,” Tufton said.
He also highlighted the hospital’s role in emergency and trauma care over its 250-year history.
“Despite the challenges, Kingston Public Hospital remains the number one trauma centre in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Chances are, if you’re from downtown Kingston or anywhere across Jamaica, you know someone whose life has been saved here. That is a legacy worth celebrating,” he said.
Tufton said the anniversary celebrations were also an opportunity to focus on the future of the institution, pointing to plans to further modernise healthcare delivery and develop a new hospital facility.
“As we celebrate 250 years of Kingston Public Hospital, we are also committing to the next 250 years by putting plans in place for a new hospital that will benefit you, your children, and your children’s children. This institution has served Jamaica with distinction, and it deserves a modern facility that reflects its legacy and its future,” he said.
KPH’s 250th anniversary celebrations will continue with additional medical missions and activities aimed at commemorating the hospital’s history while strengthening its outreach and healthcare services.
The year-long programme is scheduled to culminate with the hospital’s official 250th anniversary observance in December.