West Indies Petroleum Limited (WIPL) has pledged J$5 million to help construct and maintain a fit-for-purpose Burn Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

The commitment was made by senior vice-president of WIPL, Danville Walker, at the Petrojam launch of the burn care facility fundraising dinner held on Tuesday, July 25.

Petrojam has committed to donating J$10 million for the first year of the project, with additional support annually for an undetermined amount of time. In endorsing the local oil refinery’s contributions, Walker said WIPL would donate 50 per cent of Petrojam’s contributions, as long as Petrojam continues its donations to the burn facility.

Incoming General Manager Telroy Morgan said that “Petrojam is taking the lead role in terms of the fundraising of this project, providing the financial support…Our outgoing general manager, Winston Watson, took this initiative, did a lot of the groundwork, and I look forward to take the baton to the finish line.”

Currently, the UHWI and the Bustamante Hospital for Children have isolated areas for burn care. However, there are no comprehensive burn care facility in Jamaica, leading to longer wait and recovery times for patients.

Additionally, burn victims in severe cases are flown overseas to receive extensive care for their injuries, an expensive task.

As such, the state-owned oil refinery and the UHWI aim to raise J$218 million for the construction of a fit-for-purpose facility, as well as the procurement and installation of relevant medical equipment.

Funds raised will be donated to increasing the square footage of the existing burn-care facility, from 867.5 square feet to 3,538 square feet, construct a new outpatient section that will host three consultation rooms, construct an operating theatre, and install new HVAC systems. Additionally, three existing patient cubies will be upgraded to self-contained intensive care rooms.

Chief of medical staff at the UHWI, Dr Carl Bruce, encouraged attendees to donate to the cause to improve the services currently offered by the special-care unit.

“If you give us the assistance that we need to put in place in the facility, then I believe not only can we treat the few patients that make the news, but the ones who never make it hospitals from one of the rural areas, or patients who make it to the hospital but we just don’t have the resources,” said the UHWI medical chief.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications, and Transport Daryl Vaz and Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton both endorsed the initiative, noting that public-private partnerships are vital for a country’s development.

Tufton shared that on average hospitals see 1,000 burn victims a year for minor injuries, and more help is needed from all stakeholders to ensure a holistic approach to healthcare.

“We have to take a much more holistic approach to healthcare. Ultimately it is about saving lives, about longevity and the quality of life, and we are incomplete if we do not complete the cycle or response, and this particular facility is critical to completing that cycle because even if we save one life it is justified,” said Tufton.

Additionally, he shared that more nurses and doctors are needed in the burn care unit and urged the UHWI to offer training opportunities for medical graduates who wish to enter the field.

Those who wish to contribute to the project can contact Petrojam, the University of the West Indies or the Ministry of Health and Wellness.