C&W Business Jamaica has donated tablets to the Sickle Cell Unit, part of the Caribbean Institute of Health Research at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
The tablets will be gifted to young patients living with sickle cell disease and preparing for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams and Caribbean Secondary Examinations (C-SEC) during the pandemic.
“Due to complications related to sickle cell disease, children often experience school absenteeism. They also require additional psychosocial and educational support to achieve success. The current emphasis on virtual learning during the pandemic benefits sickle cell patients as they can stay home and learn. However, many parents lack the required devices for these children to access virtual learning platforms,” shared June Harris, a senior nurse at the Sickle Cell Unit.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, C&W Business Jamaica says it has used its technology to facilitate increased access to virtual learning. The company has, through its work with the Ministry of Education, rolled out affordable plans for teachers and students. The donation to the Sickle Cell Unit is its latest initiative.
Delroy McLean, senior director of C&W Business Jamaica, stated that “We are committed to using our technology to enable each child to have access to an education, especially during this pandemic. We considered the plight of the young patients at the Sickle Cell Unit and were keen to donate devices to facilitate their preparation for key exams and provide them with a better chance at educational success.”
Commenting on the donation, Harris stated, “Our aim is to ensure that children with sickle cell disease continue their education during this pandemic and have the best chance at increasing their quality of life. We therefore welcome this donation of devices from C&W Business Jamaica as they will enable students to access the relevant virtual learning platforms.”
An inherited genetic disorder, sickle cell disease affects one in 150 babies born each year in Jamaica.
Established in 1965, the Sickle Cell Unit caters to over 5,000 patients, starting as young as six weeks old. The Unit seeks to improve the lives of individuals living with the disease through research, education and clinical care.
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