Florida diaspora charity gives $5 million in medical supplies to St Jago Health Centre

St Jago Health Centre in St Catherine has taken delivery of medical supplies worth $5 million from Living Well Community Care Centre (LWCCC), a Florida-based diaspora organisation.

The handover took place on Monday at the health facility. The shipment included medications, gloves, syringes, wheelchairs and walkers.

Dr Joan Williamson, founder and chief executive of LWCCC, told JIS News the gift was intended to meet pressing gaps at the centre. Williamson, who moved to the United States in the 1990s, said she still keeps Jamaica close, adding that giving back to the country "has always been our joy".

The charity offers health, social and spiritual support to underserved communities, with a strong focus on outreach in Jamaica.

"This is our eighth time since [Hurricane] Melissa. We come back so often to make sure ongoing help is being given to Jamaica, to continue the recovery and the resuscitation of the devastation that took place," Williamson noted.

She said her work is guided by faith. "There is nothing for us to gain financially. We do not seek notoriety or recognition. It's just from our heart and we want people to live well," she added.

Jamaica 4-H Foundation 2016 Limited helped coordinate delivery of the supplies after partnering with the charity to provide urgent relief and longer-term recovery support following Hurricane Melissa.

Peter Thompson, managing director of the Jamaica 4-H Foundation, pointed to work already carried out in western Jamaica. "We have done tremendous work in western Jamaica. We have had several clinics in those communities since the hurricane and we have delivered over 5,000 care packages to persons living in those communities that were affected by Hurricane Melissa," he said.

Last Saturday, LWCCC members and volunteers distributed about 1,000 care packages and medical supplies to residents across St Catherine.