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Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 01, 2016 (SKNIS): Global Mission, which pairs volunteer health professionals with pastors and church representatives in this instance, has once again partnered with the local Ministry of Health and has donated to the Federation through its Mission and Medical Initiative.

Dr. Lehman Bates, Global Mission Representative, and pastor of the First Bethel Baptist Church, explained that pastors and healthcare professionals from 10 states and the District of Columbia in the United States, come annually at their own expense or through sponsorship for the last 12 years, in order to help support the health system in the Federation.

“The materials that came this trip, they came from Georgia and Dr. Ronald Reid is going to assume all of the executive responsibilities for us beginning next year,” Dr. Bates said. “Historically, we always bring things and according to our medical people, we have contributed from the United States, various hospitals, rest homes, even some trauma locations, in excess of US$10 million worth of equipment and supplies to St. Kitts.”

Dr. Donald Reid, Global Mission Representative and spiritual leader, said that the donated items were on a wish-list presented by the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital.

“Aletheia Baptist Church and our Faith Alliance gathered all these materials here and had them shipped over here (to St. Kitts) and we’re just so happy to be here, just to assist you in some of the things you need,” Dr. Reid said. “And we really appreciate your hospitality and we love the island, we love the people on the island and it’s been a pleasure to meet Minister (Wendy) Phipps and Ms. (Sonia) Daley (Finley) and all the other staff here at the hospital. We want to say to you, more is to come.”

Minister of State with responsibility for Health Honourable Wendy Phipps thanked Global Faith Alliance and encouraged others to contribute to the health sector as well.

“Over the past 12 years the contributions that we have received from the Global Faith Alliance have been basically incalculable in terms of the dollar value and also because of the love that comes behind it,” Minister Phipps said. “We look to your partnership Dr. Reid and the rest of your team as something that is worthy of building and emulating with the rest of our NGO (non governmental organisation) community and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis.”

The Minister noted the importance of such contributions to health conditions that are prevalent in the Federation.

“At the same time we happen to have the same scourge, I would like to use that word deliberately, as the rest of CARICOM (the Caribbean Community) in terms of having a very serious problem when it comes to the high mortality and morbidity rate as it relates to non-communicable diseases particularly, cancer, diabetes, heart disease that continue to affect our people. And by extension, we look to donations and to public-private partnership with agencies like yourself locally, regionally and internationally as a way to assist us in the response that we would require,” she said.

This year’s Global Mission contribution included donations to the JNF General Hospital, the Grange healthcare facility in Ottley’s and the Tyrell Williams Primary School which Dr. Bates said had practically been adopted by his church. Dr. Bates said that the value of the donated items presented to St. Kitts and Nevis over the 12 year period had amounted to over US$10 million.