NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Doctors Hospital Health Systems (DHHS) has formally committed to the “Promise” initiative, a program aiming to provide healthcare support and scholarship opportunities to the Long Island community.
Under the leadership of Bridgette Sherman, DHHS senior vice president of Patient Care Services, the “Promise” program extends DHHS’ Bridge to the Future (BTTF) initiative and features special offerings to Exuma, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Long Island and Eleuthera (EAGLE islands).
To launch the initiative, DHHS made an initial donation of much-needed computer equipment and supplies to the Long Island community via Malinda Pratt, district education officer for Long Island in the Ministry of Education.
The donation of four laptops, a printer and additional supplies marked the first step in DHHS’ commitment to Long Island.
In the coming months, the initiative will target students across the Long Island community who have a stated interest in healthcare and medicine. As such, DHHS will provide life support training, certification and practice simulations to volunteer representatives from communities throughout Long Island.
DHHS President and CEO Dr Charles Diggiss said the hospital views its EAGLE islands initiative as far more than just “bringing services to these communities”.
“We see this as an opportunity to invest in the future by growing capability with training and certifications of members of these communities,” he added.
“We will use our resources and our advantage to raise the standard of care on the island by assisting members of the local community in obtaining life support and other certifications.
“When an emergency happens requiring life support interventions [like] CPR, it’s those persons
witnessing the event and those first and early responders whose actions and decisions within
the ‘golden minutes and up to an hour’ which will determine whether a victim survives.
“These immediate and early responders live and work in these communities.”
Scholarship areas of certification will include patient care technician (PCT), emergency medical (services) technician (EMT-basic) and pharmacy technician.
The program will also provide scholarships to students interested in becoming certified medical assistants (CMA) and phlebotomists (blood specimen collectors).
To qualify, students must currently reside on Long Island.
DHHS Board Member and Community Relations Committee Chair Elma Garraway said: “One of the core tenets of DHHS is learning, so we look at every opportunity to assist in the space of education, particularly clinical education, as a way to further improve communities throughout the Bahamas.”
She added: “I am delighted that Doctors Hospital has once again, through its outreach program, really supported Long Island directly in a very special way.“
Long term, DHHS’ commitment will allow for the distribution of two AED (heart savers) devices as well as partnering with the healthcare providers in Long Island communities to maintain, at strategic locations, backboards, immobilizers and oxygen delivery for victims of trauma throughout Long Island.
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