The Issa Foundation Trust is continuing its efforts to help in improving the quality of pediatric and neonatal healthcare across the island.

Last week, the Trust facilitated a team of medical professionals from the USA, among them doctors, nurses and bio-medical engineers, who carried out fact-finding visits to several health facilities.

The team assessed areas of collaboration in developing programs for improving the quality of care in pediatric and neonatal care in various areas of the country.

The institutions visited included the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Spanish Town Hospital, and the St. Ann’s Bay Health Centre.

The Issa Trust Foundation has maintained a longstanding relationship with the Ministry of Health & Wellness, and various Regional Health Authorities throughout Jamaica for many years and is always interested in strengthening these alliances.

The meetings gave the Issa Trust Foundation a better understanding of the health facilities' needs from a training perspective, while examining strategies to developing channels for collaboration, with a view to improve the quality of care in these facilities.

The biomedical engineers focused on training and assisting in the repair of equipment.

In addition, they looked at the pharmaceutical needs for neonates across the island who are in dire need of support.

President of the Issa Trust Foundation, Diane Pollard said she was very excited to have embarked on this new collaboration, especially with the addition of their newest medical advisor, Dr. Samantha Walker, consultant neonatologist in SERHA.

“We are deeply committed to improving the quality of healthcare for Jamaican neonates. There is a great need in the country and we are pleased that we were able to bring this excellent team of medical professionals to look at what exists and how we can chart a path forward together,” Pollard added.

“Through these new collaborative efforts, the Issa Trust Foundation continues its journey to becoming a stellar example of medical care benevolence for children in Jamaica,” she said.

She added that the relationships will also help the Issa Trust Foundation in continuing to plan and build the Mary Issa Pediatric & Adolescent Health Center in St. Ann.