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itf-donate-millions

From the Jamaica Gleaner | January 21, 2016 | Gladstone Taylor

The Issa Trust Foundation (ITF) handed over US$2million worth of pharmaceutical supplies recently during a ceremony held at the Henry Shaw Auditorium at the Kingston Public Hospital.

Among the items were IV fluids, antibiotics, medicine for non-communicable deseases, gloves gowns, and other items to assist in the quality of care provided.

Established in 2005 by Couples Resorts, the ITF focuses on health prevention, promotion, and education, as well as on the improvement of medical services in Jamaica.

The ITF continues its partnership, donating pharmaceuticals on a quarterly basis via air freight to minimise delays in delivery of critical medications.

The foundation also works to reduce infant mortality by improving the capacity of the public-health infrastructure to care for premature, low-weight, and very sick infants.
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Green Island Primary School

School Motto: Strive for Excellence
Green Island Primary School was built in 1920. The school is located in Hanover Jamaica. Present enrollment: 283 girls and 301 boys ages 6 to 12 years old.

The staff consists of the Principal, (Mr. Vaccianna Moseley) the Vice Principal, Guidance Counselor, Spanish Teacher, 16 classroom teachers, and a part time Physical Education teacher.

Extra Curricular Activities:
Clubs: 4H, Brownies, Sports, Math, Spanish, Speech, Empowerment, Scouts Club, Performing Arts, Reading and Spelling

Vision:
To create meaningful and unified learning experiences in an environment which is conducive to academic and personal growth and development of staff, pupils, parents and all other stake holders.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Green island Primary School is to establish and maintain an effective Educational Program that will ensure the HOLISTIC development of each individual.
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We are excited to announce The Issa Trust Foundation’s 12th mission in partnership with the North East Regional Health Authority.

itf 12th medical mission flyerAnnually, the Issa Trust Foundation sponsors a free pediatric medical mission in Jamaica. The 2016 team of 41 volunteers includes pediatric cardiologists, neonatologist, general pediatric nurses, physicians, and pharmacists are excited to serve the parish of St. Mary and St. Ann The team will be providing complete medical exams, laboratory testing, fluoride treatment and medications. In addition, children will be provided cardiology exam with an echocardiogram in the clinic if needed. As in past years, all children will receive free eye exams and receive their glasses immediately after their exam, provided by the Michigan Lions.  
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November 18, 2015

Dear Board,

This has been a very busy year! Please see the latest press releases for your review.

November 13, 2015 – Issa Trust Foundation Gives Life-Saving Equipment To Hospitals

November 11, 2015 – Support The Health Care System! Lady Hall Urges Corporate Jamaica To Hop On Board

November 10, 2015 – Sav Hospital Gets Paediatric Gifts

October 13, 2015 – IssaTrust Foundation On A Mission

August 31, 2015 – Issa Trust Foundation Hosts Medical Clinics

Diane Pollard, President & CEO
Issa Trust Foundation
cell: 515-480-1683
Jamaica cell (when in country) 876-503-5903

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From the Jamaica Gleaner

Tuesday | November 10, 2015 | Adrian Frater

Paediatric care at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland, got a major boost last week when the Issa Trust Foundation, in collaboration with US-based Heart to Heart Foundation, presented the institution with state-of-the art equipment valued at US$190,000.

The items donated included incubators, warmers for newborns, diagnostic equipment, operating lights and ventilators, among other much-needed equipment.

In expressing gratitude for the equipment, Dr Kerri Ann McKenzie, the hospital’s paediatrician, said the equipment, donated specifically to fully outfit a new Level 2 Special Care Nursery, will ensure advanced respiratory support of newborns.

“It will allow us to offer much better care, particularly to our newborns but also to the general department, ” said Dr McKenzie

Camile Lewin, acting chief executive officer at the hospital, expressed profound gratitude to the Issa Trust Foundation, saying the organisation had come to the institution’s assistance at a most opportune time.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to the Issa Trust Foundation for coming on board and assisting us where we’ve fallen short,” said Lewin, noting that while the hospital’s needs were great, the support they were getting was proving to be quite helpful.

Diane Pollard, president and chief executive officer, the Issa Trust Foundation, who was present for the hand over, assembling and installation of the equipment, expressed much delight at being able to assist the hospital.

“We’re excited at the opportunity to partner with the Western Regional Heath Authority and the hospital to bring acute neonate services to enhance what they already have,” said Pollard, whose team included technical experts, who assembled the equipment and advise senior staff on how to use them.

“We bring the equipment down, we make sure it is working,” Pollard said. “The foundation also paid for piped oxygen for the ward and, in January, we’re going to come back with our neonate specialist. We’re going to set up the ventilator and train staff to give these babies some comfort.”

The Issa Trust Foundation is a non-profit organisation created by Paul Issa’s Couples Resort to focus on supporting paediatric health initiatives. Heart to Heart is a US non-profit body that provides volunteers around the world and helps in disaster recoveries.

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Jamaica Gleaner
October 13, 2015

More than 1000 children received free medical and eye care during The Issa Trust Foundation Pediatric Medical Mission held over five days in the parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland from September 24 – 29.

The Paul Issa chaired foundation, has been supporting Jamaica’s children over the past 11 years through various support programmes. Issa is also deputy chairman of Couples Resorts.

“We ensure that the mediation prescribed is available in Jamaica and if a patient requires follow up this is also facilitated,” Diane Pollard, president and CEO of the non- profit group said, “We are proud of our medical mission because we ensure continuity.”

“We have developed a highly efficient process to provide pediatric medical care to as many children at the highest standard of care we can deliver,” Pollard added, noting that they offer everything except for operations; all of which would normally cost a child in the region of US$400, which can making a big difference in a child’s life.

The outreach team led by registered nurse Kerri Cooke and Dr Pat Brophy comprises of medical professionals, such as pediatric pharmacists, intensive care physicians, hematology-oncology consultants, general pediatricians, nephrologists, nurse midwife, pulmonologists, neonatologist, pediatric nurse practitioner, a pediatric nurse and respiratory therapist.

The procedure takes each child through registration, blood pressure check along with other preliminary examinations, doctors’ visit and then to the pharmacy if medication is prescribed. Each child is then examined by a dental hygienist, followed by eye examination and the provision of prescribed eye wear to one in every four children seen, through the support of the Lions Club of Michigan’s donation of over 2000 eyeglasses.

“It’s just an awesome feeling to be giving back, “said pharmacist Art Abrahams, who hails from Ohio City in the US and who is making his second trip to Jamaica with the mission, “From a health care professional’s perspective this sort of support is very important, because such things can easily be taken for granted, but to see firsthand, the need of others, many who cannot afford it and then contribute to make a difference is very rewarding.

According to the foundation, its mission is to provide a system of prevention, health promotion and education, community health improvement and other services to promote well-being and development for the people of Jamaica.

mark.titus[at]gleanerjm.com

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Direct Relief’s collaboration with the Issa Trust Foundation began in 2015 with the delivery of essential respiratory medications, including 792 inhalers, oral corticosteroids, and sodium chloride for use with nebulizers. Diagnostic and respiratory supplies and equipment, such as infant and neonate blood pressure cuffs, a pulse oximeter, and a nebulizer compressor, were also included.

Read more on Direct Relief’s website »
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Gleaner From August 13, 2015 Jamaica Gleaner

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), along with the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica diaspora, recently hosted a five-week Camp Summer Plus programme in Jamaica. Participants were instructed in reading and mathematics and the arts. Careful thought was given to the medical, dietary, social behavioural and academic fortification of students.

The Issa Trust Foundation, chaired by Paul Issa, who is also the deputy chairman of Couples Resorts, facilitated medical clinics at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in Montego Bay, Cedar Grove Academy in St Catherine, and the College of Agriculture, Science and Education in Portland, from July 13-15.

Dr Jeff Segar led the team which gave 362 children a physical examination, basic blood tests, hearing and vision screening, pharmacy medications, when needed, and fluoride treatments. Eyeglasses were provided through a partnership with Michigan Lions Club to one in four of the children seen.

A questionnaire was developed to assist the team to identify risk factors for impaired learning, and also to assist in identifying potential future interventional measures designed to promote learning in this population. If parents had to pay out of their pockets for the medical care, eye examination and glasses, it would cost them approximately $75,000 each.
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The Issa Trust Foundation was formed to make a measurable & sustainable difference for the children in Jamaica. You can help children in school by giving them the tools they need to succeed. Our goal is to raise the funding necessary to purchase 4,000 backpacks and school supplies.

Click here to support this campaign: https://www.booster.com/issa-trust-foundation-education-fundraiser2

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I’m not sure I had truly considered that Jamaica was a mountainous island, and what that meant for the landscape, until the drive to Annotto Bay hospital on my first day at work. To my left was beautiful bright blue sea and to my right, forested hills. Coming from Miami, this view even beat my 15th floor bay/city view balconies. At the hospital, there was more of the new familiar- a modestly equipped open air style British colonial style hospital with friendly nurses and patients. I was greeted with a stream of “good morning”s and “good day”s and the smiles seem to be brighter once I mention that I am with Issa Trust, the Foundation clearly has a solid track record with the hospitals. In terms of work, rounding at Annotto Bay, and even clinic, is very independent. As the Issa trust pediatrician, I pre round on the patient (along with the general practitioner “medical officers” and present to Dr. Ramos, the attending pediatrician. He does fantastic teaching for the residents and  specialist, he usually invites me to chip in to teach. In clinic we function completely independently but can still ask Dr. Ramos or one of the house officers if we have questions on procedure, available medications, referrals etc. While all the charting in clinic is handwritten and often not too legible,most of these visits are well newborn checks and the infants have their health booklets with all pertinent antenatal and peripartum information on the baby. This serves as a very helpful portable medical record for the child and even has growth charts, vaccination records and slots to input information for all of their well child visits through to the school-age years! While the rooms are not as fully stocked as they would be in the states (otoscopes etc), with some effort, it’s possible to maintain the same standard of care/screening as we would have stateside. It’s mostly about remembering your basic history and anticipatory guidance skills and making sure to bring with you what you can (oto/ophthalmoscopes, tiips etc) from the states or from the villa. By nature, and training at Jackson Memorial, I try not to assume anything on behalf of the patients or the follow up system so when I doubt anything at all, I ask one of the other doctors to be sure that what I am doing will actually get them their referral, follow up, medication etc. Overall, it’s relatively easy to settle in and the other doctors and staff are very helpful and welcoming.
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