Linstead Hospital Receives $2.6 Million in Medical Equipment

Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday April 9, 2025: The Linstead Hospital (LH), a Type C facility located in St. Catherine, received a generous donation of medical equipment, valued at $2.6 million towards, the opening of the Paediatric Ward later this year from the University

of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Medicine and Dentistry Class of 2027.

Among the donated items are an ECG machine, two patient monitors, four infusion pumps,

and accessories, which were officially handed over to the hospital on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

Senior Medical Officer at LH, Dr. Trevor Bygrave, emphasized the importance of the donation. He noted that hospital, which serves over 20,000 patients annually across five

parishes—St. Andrew, Clarendon, St. Mary, St. Catherine, and St. Ann—will significantly benefit from this much-needed medical equipment.

In addition, Dr. Bygrave highlighted that the equipment will support the launch of a Paediatric service, as 18-20% of the patients seen on a monthly basis are children (11 years and under). This donation will play a crucial role in supporting the opening of this service that will further enhance the hospital’s capacity to care for children.

The donation was funded through proceeds from the faculty’s annual benefit play, Smoker

2024, called Love at First Wine, a Caribbean adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

The production was entirely written, directed, and produced by the students of the Medical

and Dental Class of 2027. The play not only supports the Jamaican health sector but also

fosters the importance of volunteerism among future medical professionals.

Started in 1950 by the late Professor Barrie Hanchard and some of his classmates, Smoker

was an outlet for medical and dentistry students to de-stress after their final examinations.

However, over the years it evolved into something much more meaningful, a powerful

tradition where third-year medical and dental students pour their hearts into creating a

theatrical production to support a Type-C hospital.

The Linstead Hospital, which falls under the management of the South East Regional Health

Authority (SERHA), provides a range of services, including Accident and Emergency Care, General Medicine, Laboratory and X-Ray, Mental Health services, Physiotherapy, and NHF

Pharmacy.

Ms. Toni-Anne Green (right), Smokers 2024 Chairperson, presents the symbolic cheque representing the $2.6 million raised from the 2024 Smoker benefit play to Mrs. Camile Wallen-Panton (third from right), Chief Executive Officer, Linstead Hospital (LH). Others captioned in photo from left are: Mr. Elroy Campbell, Smoker 2024 Vice Chairperson; Dr. Trevor Bygrave, Senior Medical Officer, LH; Mr. Abdon Campbell, Parish Manager, St. Catherine Health Services and Major Dr. Susan Wright, Acting Regional Technical Director, SERHA. The money raised was used to purchase equipment that will be used in the paediatric ward, which will be used once the service is opened. The official handover took place yesterday on the hospital’s compound.