23 January – March 2022 | VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica for building relevant research capacity within the University and by extension Jamaica, while providing world class teaching and learning experiences for students. Sport Development consultant with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Mrs. Florette Blackwood in providing an overview, explained that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives of Zion Care International Inc. (ZCI) and Montefiore University Hospital paid periodic visits to the island to work primarily with persons who are physically challenged and are now extending their interest in the area of sports medicine rehabilitation. “This Memorandum of Understanding came out of this interest,” Mrs. Blackwood disclosed, sharing the key objective of the partnership, “to promote the advancement of sport rehabilitation programmes and research and capacity building within the Jamaican sport community.” Mrs. Blackwood further noted that “this is the first coordinated effort on sport medicine rehabilitation, consultation with expanded support via telemedicine services; facilitation of easier access and less costly services and equipment to the sport community; scholarly medical practices, teaching and training.” Rehabilitation physician, Dr Matthew Bartels, who is Director, Zion Care International and Chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Montefiore Health System outlined a wealth of proposed activities under the scope of the Memorandum of Understanding that will involve the mutual sharing of data, resources and knowledge, student and faculty exchange, tele-consultation and tele-education, joint research projects, health screenings and a range of sport medicine rehabilitation interventions. The duration of the MoU is for period of five years in the initial instance.
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