KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Sagicor Foundation has issued a formal statement outlining how funds from the 2023 Sigma Corporate Run were deployed, following public questions over whether money earmarked for the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) was used as promised.
According to the foundation, the 2023 staging of the annual charity run generated J$91.85 million, with proceeds designated for two beneficiaries: the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and the Paediatric Unit at UHWI. Of the total sum, the foundation confirmed that approximately US$495,000—roughly J$79.2 million—was paid in 2024 to an authorised Philips distributor to secure a CT scan machine for UHWI.
The disclosure comes in response to comments from Dr Alfred Dawes, the Opposition People’s National Party’s spokesman on health, who raised concerns that funds raised in the name of UHWI’s paediatric services may have been redirected without consultation with the hospital’s paediatric department. Dawes described the situation as “deeply troubling” and called for a transparent accounting of how the funds were spent, what they were spent on, and what portion—if any—remains outstanding.
In addressing the matter, the Sagicor Foundation stated that it acted in line with its governance framework and that all funds raised are fully disbursed to beneficiaries as intended. The foundation further indicated that the CT scan machine was shipped in early December 2025 and is scheduled to arrive in Jamaica in February 2026.
Sagicor Foundation officials emphasized that transparency remains central to their operations, asserting that procurement decisions were made to support long-term clinical capacity at UHWI and to ensure the funds delivered tangible, high-impact medical infrastructure.
The clarification is expected to intensify calls for UHWI to publish its own breakdown of the project timeline, installation plans, and how the new equipment will be integrated into paediatric and broader hospital services.
