PROMAC

Overview:

The state-of-the-art High-Dependency Unit (HDU) at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) and the space for neonatal and maternal care were refurbished by PROMAC. The programme is aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality, in keeping with the Government of Jamaica’s own development goals. The new six-bed maternal HDU at VJH, which includes an operating theatre and isolation suite, will increase the hospital’s capacity to care for critically ill patients, who are usually transferred from other hospitals across the island.

In addition, the neonatal facility had been expanded to accommodate four high-dependency beds, creation of isolation suites to facilitate up to 16 premature babies at one time who need respiratory support, as well as the refurbishment of space for a 24-bed general nursery.

VJH is among four hospitals to benefit from an HDU under PROMAC. All the HDUs will be equipped with cutting-edge technologies to improve newborn and emergency obstetric care.

PROMAC has also provided training of more than 200 medical personnel and 1,000 primary healthcare workers to improve the quality management of high-risk pregnancies.

Dr. Garth McDonald, Senior Medical Officer, VJH, expressed the hope that with the outputs from PROMAC, including four high dependency units across the country, equipment supplied and training provided to medical personnel including obstetricians, “Jamaica will see a reduction in its maternal, neonatal and perinatal mortality rates comparable to developed countries within the next five years.”

​

Date of Official Opening: Wednesday, June 24, 2020

​

Overview:

The High-Dependency Unit at the Spanish Town Hospital (STH) is the third of four HDUs. The new facility has a maternal HDU, spanning 2,691 square feet of space, and a rehabilitated neonatal space and general nursery (3,283 square ft) completed at a cost of $423 million.

Speaking at the function, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health & Wellness, said that it is the Government’s intention to strengthen the health system in an effort to reduce the number of pregnancy-related deaths.

The STH admits up to 100 women to its maternity ward every month, where five to eight per cent of babies are delivered prematurely. The mother has the benefit of the new HDU, and a rehabilitated neonatal space and general nursery. Spanish Town Hospital, a Type B health facility, has about 100 admissions to the nursery per month and where five to eight per cent of babies are delivered prematurely.

​

Date of Official Opening: Wednesday, July 9, 2020

​

Overview:

A state-of-the-art High-Dependency Unit (HDU) for neonatal and maternal care was opened at the Bustamante Hospital for Children. It is the final of four HDUs to be successfully completed and opened across the country under the Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality (PROMAC), which is being funded by the European Union (EU).The 4,359 square-foot facility, established at a cost of $315 million, provides specialized bed spaces for critically ill neonates.

It comprises 10 beds (including two isolation rooms), a nurses’ station, one sluice room, a breastfeeding area and a restroom.

Dr. Michelle-Ann Richards Dawson, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Bustamante Hospital for Children said that “as a major referral centre we have been able to accommodate patients who require specialised paediatric care.” The building was opened by the Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton and the EU Ambassador, Malgorzata Wasilewska.

​

Date of Official Opening: Tuesday, July 14, 2020

​

Overview:

High-risk expectant mothers and their babies will soon be able to
comfortably access care at the Spanish Town Hospital, thanks to the construction of two high-dependency units at that facility.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the two HDUs, which are made possible through the Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality (PROMAC) – managed by the Ministry of Health and financed to the tune of 22 million Euros by the European Union.

HDUs provide an intermediate level of care between what is available on a general ward and in an intensive care unit, and from which mothers as well as newborns with life-threatening medical conditions or illnesses, including severe infections, benefit.

The $236-million development of the HDUs at Spanish Town Hospital is the second of its kind to be introduced across five referral hospitals in Jamaica under PROMAC. The first was at the St Ann’s Bay Hospital, for which ground was broken in May.

The Spanish Town Hospital development is comprised of a neonatal HDU with eight beds, including two neonatal isolation suites and a maternal HDU with five beds, including a maternal isolation suite. They are to be equipped with highly specialised radiographic equipment, critical care ventilators, and specialised patient-monitoring equipment.

M&M Jamaica Limited was awarded the contract to undertake the construction, which is scheduled for completion within 12 months.

 

PROMAC is to establish a total of nine new maternal and neonatal HDUs at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, the Cornwall Regional Hospital, and the Bustamante Hospital for Children – in addition to the Spanish Town and St Ann’s Bay hospitals.

This will amount to a total of 65 HDU beds – 22 maternal and 43 neonatal, including isolation suites – and the supply of specialised maternal and neonatal hospital equipment to support the HDUs islandwide.

PROMAC is intended to reduce deaths attributable to high-risk factors for mother and child through the establishment of the HDUs, bolstering primary health care services for high-risk pregnancies and enhancing the clinical knowledge and skills of health professionals.

​

Date of Ground Breaking: September 12, 2018

​

​