US-based respiratory therapist gives ventilators to Annotto Bay Hospital
Published:Saturday | July 19, 2025 | 12:07 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
Annotto Bay, St Mary:
The North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) received a major boost after a Jamaican living in the United States (US) donated two ventilators to the Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary last Thursday, to enhance the facility’s service delivery to patients.
The donation was made by Ian Clough, a respiratory therapist in the US and a past student of Titchfield High School who has been donating ventilators to several hospitals in Jamaica since 2003.
“It is my aim to add to the cadre of ventilators in the island. Some years ago, during COVID-19, it was brought to my attention that there was a hundred and something ventilators in the system,” said Clough.
“I decided to go on a bigger begging spree. So I am looking forward for these to serve the community in Jamaica. They are very good ventilators and they are also portable as you can see and I am willing to come back at any given time to help the staff to upgrade their skills with these ventilators. There are thousands of Jamaican doctors in the US and I am hoping that, by giving these over the years ... other doctors and respiratory therapists will get involved and give back to the system.
“I am very patriotic, not nationalistic, to this country and I wanna make sure that people have resources when they need it. Someone gets into a accident, they have a ventilator for their use and, if there is a child that is born and needs ventilation, then the service is here. I also brought down some adult circuits and some paediatric circuits, which can ventilate babies, and I hope I can continue to give from time to time.”
The Jamaican health care system has been grappling for sometime now with a shortage of ventilators at public hospitals, an issue that was most evident during the global pandemic from 2020 to 2023.
Dale Brown, chief executive officer at Annotto Bay Hospital, expressed thanks for the donation while pointing out that the ventilators are well-needed and that they would go a far way in taking care of paediatric patients, along with adults, who require such services.
MP LAUDED EFFORTS
In the meantime, Norman Dunn, member of parliament for St Mary South East, lauded the efforts of Clough, who he said gave thought to the Annotto Bay Hospital at a time when ventilation machines were needed at hospitals.
“What we have in Jamaica is and has been recognised over the world as first-class employees at our medical institutions. Our doctors, our nurses, our pharmacists, our entire staff are first class and that has never been questioned,” said Dunn.
“This hospital has gone through many transitions and recently, about two years ago, it moved from a Type C to a Type B hospital. These equipment and others are important in delivering that quality of health care. Our diaspora has always been an important part of what we are seeing happening. This a true manifestation of that and you have sought to transfer giving to your country. We urge others to come onboard and see how best they can also assist.”