Children’s Hospital Heart Centre to open soon – Firstlook

Thanks to the generous support of valued partners, Bustamante Children’s Hospital (BHC) is able to heal little hearts at the Heart Center. This state-of-the-art facility features a cath lab, operating rooms, and an intensive care unit. The Heart Center will officially open on Monday, April 15, 2019.

The establishment of the Heart Centre is significant as it is the only one of its kind in Jamaica and the wider English-speaking Caribbean. The Centre is part of a multi-million dollar investment by multiple partners to strengthen cardiovascular services.
Prior to the opening of the Heart Centre, vulnerable sections of Jamaican society could not afford cardiac surgery treatment overseas due to staff shortages and limited medical supplies. The work, which was undertaken by major funding agencies including the Ministry of Health, South Eastern Regional Health Authority (SERHA), Chain of Hope, Gift of Life International, Rotary International, Sagicor Foundation, Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation, Digicel Foundation, National Health Foundation and others, included the installation of an Intensive Care Unit, Bi-plane Catheterisation Laboratory, Operating Theatres, Administrative Offices and Examination Rooms.
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More than 400 children are born with congenital heart disease each year in Jamaica. Between November 2017 and March 2019, the Heart Centre performed 83 heart surgeries and catheterizations.
The success of these surgeries over the years has been made possible by the medical teams at Chain of Hope, Caribbean Heart Menders and the Florida Congenital Heart Institute, who have provided medical professionals and much-needed equipment and supplies valued at millions of dollars each year in the process.
The Minister went on to express his gratitude for the services provided by the International Medical Mission to Jamaican children and further highlighted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with partners to establish the Cardiac Centre.
Dr. Tufton noted that Chain of Hope has also contributed in other ways, such as through the upskilling and training of medical staff.
Mr. Philip Armstrong, Chairman of the SERHA Board of Directors, expressed his gratitude to our key stakeholders for their generous assistance which has enhanced the efforts of the BHC team, enabling them to treat more children with life-threatening heart conditions.