By Dyhann Buddoo-Fletcher
BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — Black River Hospital has received a major boost in its hurricane recovery, with Andrews Memorial Hospital Limited, AdventHealth and Seventh-day Adventist partners handing over approximately 9 million Jamaican Dollars (US$60,000.00) in medical supplies and equipment, along with 50 Hewlett-Packard laptops, on Monday, February 23, 2026.
The donation follows a promise made during a November 4, 2025, visit by a 25-member Andrews Memorial Hospital team, which saw the extent of the damage caused by Category Five Hurricane Melissa. At that time, Black River Hospital Chief Executive Officer Diana Brown-Williams said the facility was forced to operate with severely limited space.
“We have about 15 per cent of our space that we can use. Wards, administration, staff quarters, dietary services, and the operating theatre were damaged, so we can only stabilise emergencies and transfer patients,” she said.
Three months later, Andrews Memorial Hospital Limited President and Chief Executive Officer Donmayne Gyles, making good on his promise, said this handover reflects not only a commitment but also reinforces that the support will continue.
“When we visited previously, we made it clear that our support would not end there, and today we are here to reaffirm that commitment. This is not the last,” Gyles said.
Gyles explained that Andrews Memorial Hospital reached out to AdventHealth, which responded by sending a container of medical supplies to support the recovery effort. He also credited the GSI Foundation, the charity arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for facilitating the shipment to Jamaica, and noted that the Jamaica Union Conference has accepted Black River Hospital as one of the institutions it is supporting during the rebuilding period.
Representing newly elected Jamaica Union Conference President Pastor Glen Samuels, Pastor Charles T. Brevitt, Vice-President of the West Jamaica Conference, described the support as part of the Adventist Church’s wider mission in healthcare and recovery.
“Healthcare is a critical part of our ministry in Jamaica, and I also want to acknowledge AdventHealth, which has been a strong supporter of Andrews Memorial Hospital, Adventism, and health care in general,” Brevitt said.
“I understand the value of this donation is about US$60,000. This is significant support. Our hope is that Black River Hospital and the citizens and surrounding communities who rely on this facility will benefit, especially as the hospital continues to rebuild and upgrade. These medical supplies and computers are being presented with the expectation that, as the buildings are completed, they will be outfitted with quality equipment to strengthen the care delivered here.”
Black River Hospital Chief Executive Officer Diana Brown-Miller welcomed the donation and said the laptops were especially timely, given operational pressures following the hurricane.
“The computers made me smile,” Brown-Miller said. “This is the season when we are doing appraisals, and last year we struggled tremendously because we did not have enough computers. The few we had were also damaged when the hurricane came. Now, having enough so that each department can receive one makes a big difference.”
She also commended the relevance of the medical supplies received.
“As we looked at each item, we could clearly see that these were not random donations. They were thoughtful, practical, and very important to the work we do,” she said.
Also welcoming the handover was Jody-Ann Porter, customer care officer at the Southern Regional Health Authority, who praised Andrews Memorial Hospital for following through after its initial visit.
“I remember that at the time, Mr Gyles said this would not be the last visit,” Porter said. “So today, we are truly happy to see that he has followed through on his word and returned, and not only returned, but returned with even greater gifts for the hospital.”
