A Maryland-based diaspora organisation, Right Now for Jamaica (RNFJ), has pledged approximately US$175,000 to construct a modular ambulatory clinic at the Melissa-damaged Percy Junor Hospital, while also unveiling a prototype for a full replacement hospital in Manchester.
The commitment was announced at the organisation’s inaugural fundraising gala on March 28, 2026, at the Royal Ballroom in Maryland. The event, held under the patronage of Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, drew more than 300 members of the Jamaican diaspora and supporters.
RNFJ revealed plans to construct the Percy Junor Ambulatory Clinic — a modular, container-based healthcare facility — at an estimated cost of US$175,000, with construction targeted for completion before the end of the year.
Percy Junor Hospital, a key referral facility serving central Jamaica, sustained significant damage during Hurricane Melissa while continuing to treat displaced and vulnerable residents.
Dr. Trudy Hall, Director of Right Now for Jamaica, outlined the scope of the project.
“This is not a tent. The Percy Junor Ambulatory Clinic is engineered for permanence and scalability. The design incorporates eight fully equipped examination rooms, triage capacity, procedural and surgical care, office space, and patient recovery bays all arranged around an efficient care corridor designed to support seamless clinical workflows while maintaining infection control and patient privacy.”
The facility will provide primary care, paediatric services, surgical procedures, and specialty consultations under one roof. According to RNFJ, the modular architecture includes backup power systems, independent water infrastructure, and off-grid capability, making it a disaster-ready healthcare platform.
The clinic will also operate using a state-of-the-art electronic medical records system supported by computers and tablets already delivered to Percy Junor Hospital by RNFJ in January 2026.
In addition to the clinic, the organisation announced it has secured approximately US$100,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment for shipment to the hospital, including surgical instruments, automatic heart defibrillators and four mobile ventilators.
Dr. Hall also unveiled an architectural prototype for a full replacement hospital at Percy Junor, describing the ambulatory clinic as Phase One of a broader long-term initiative.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Minister of Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Audrey Marks, who was honoured at the event, said the architectural model represented more than a concept.
“What you are seeing is really not just a paper model,” Minister Marks said. “This is how Jamaica is going to be rebuilt.”
Marks said her vision is to develop a first-class hospital that would serve Northeast Manchester and surrounding communities, while thanking RNFJ for adopting Percy Junor Hospital as a priority project.
She also accepted the organisation’s inaugural President’s Award during the event.
Delivering the keynote address, Ambassador Anderson emphasized the importance of diaspora investment, drawing on the philosophy of Marcus Garvey and stressing that economic empowerment is critical to national development.
“My friends in the diaspora we need and appreciate the support you give us, but we are also seeking partnerships, and we are seeking investment from investors who want to grow with us and profit with us. And so tonight, I invite you to look at Jamaica not just as it is but rather as a nation of opportunity.”
Anderson also encouraged investment in healthcare and medical tourism, agriculture, and critical minerals, describing them as sectors with strong potential for returns and national growth.
He also highlighted Jamaica’s SPEED initiative, led by Minister Marks, aimed at improving efficiency and driving economic development.
“This transformation is complemented by the SPEED initiative, Streamlining Processes for Efficiency and Economic Development, led by the Hon Minister Audrey Marks,” Anderson said.
“This is our Jamaica, we are people forged in adversity that do not surrender to circumstance, but are sustained through our individual and collective wills and belief,” he added.
