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JAMAICA: Life-changing experience inspires mother’s career choice

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#Kingston, April 25, 2019 – Jamaica – St. Ann native, Simone Palmer, took the decision to become a practical nurse after undergoing a life-changing experience occasioned by her three-year-old daughter, Ashalae Grant, being diagnosed with congenital heart disease.

Ms. Palmer, who encountered financial and other challenges in the lead-up to her daughter’s surgery for the condition, which doctors diagnosed in 2015 when she was just a toddler, enrolled in a practical nursing course at the College of Hospitality and Vocational Skills in St. Ann’s Bay in January 2018.  She was encouraged to pursue a career in healthcare by staff at the Bustamante Hospital for Children’s paediatric cardiac centre in Kingston, to which Ashalae was transferred for surgery and follow-up treatment, after unsuccessful attempts at health facilities in St. Ann.

The centre, which is one of a kind in Jamaica, comprises a 10-bed intensive care unit and state-of-the-art biplane catheterisation lab.

“I watched the nurses and gained knowledge, and they also encouraged me to become a practical nurse,” Ms. Palmer tells JIS.

She notes that balancing studies and attending to her baby’s health simultaneously “was rough”, particularly in light of the anguish brought on by the extent of pre-surgery procedures, activities and associated costs, and Ashalae’s obvious discomfort, among other challenges. 

“I was in depression… I didn’t know what to do. But, she needed the surgery… so I had to endure,” she further informs.

Ms. Palmer tells JIS News, however, that she was able to complete her training and gain certification in January this year, an achievement that was complemented by the additional joy she experienced following Ashalae’s successful surgery.  She notes that the experience and training gained now enable her to identify the signs and symptoms associated with congenital heart disease and other ailments, and the knowledge to treat persons with same.

Ms. Palmer says she is proud of this achievement and the fact that Ashalae’s health is faring much better, pointing out that the youngster is better able to withstand the effect of illnesses such as the common cold.

“It’s really good to see her up and about. I [am seeing] the improvements [as a result of] the surgery. I am not panicking again when I see certain things happening to her. If she catches the common cold, I give her the normal medication. I know how to measure it and I know to monitor her,” the doting mother tells JIS News.

She further advises that Ashalae’s enrolment in school is aiding with her holistic development, and rejoices that she and her beloved baby are overcoming the odds.

Meanwhile, Ms. Palmer is among the parents welcoming the Bustamante Hospital paediatric cardiac centre’s opening, describing it as a modern and accommodative facility.  She tells JIS News that it is heartening to know that parents whose children have congenital heart disease now have a facility at their disposal to access the appropriate healthcare.

Between November 2017 and March 2019, doctors at the centre, which was officially opened recently by Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, performed 83 cardiac surgeries and catheterisation procedures. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Tufton indicated that there are currently about 400 children in Jamaica who were born with congenital heart-related diseases, of which some 200 require surgical intervention. The facility’s establishment, he added, is a response to those.

The Minister further informed that the Government and donors currently pay the cost for surgeries and other procedures provided at the centre, which range between US$2,000 and US$5,500.

Meanwhile, Ms. Palmer offers words of encouragement to the parents of children with severe illnesses.

“Take care of your little ones in their times of need. When God rewards you, thank Him, and always remember where you are coming from. Your test will be your testimony,” she says. 

Contact: Ainsworth Morris

Release: JIS

Photo Caption: Simone Palmer and daughter, Ashalae Grant, at the recent launch of the new state-of-the-art paediatric cardiac centre at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston.

Photo: Rudranath Fraser

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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