Several patients at the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital in St. Ann today (May 23) benefited from free hernia removal surgeries.

Up to mid-day, about half of the targeted 20 patients had undergone the operation and walked out of the hospital, most with smiles of relief on their faces.

The hernia repair surgeries were done for men who had been pre-selected.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Nadia Nunes said today’s operations are intended to help significantly reduce the waiting list for this particular surgery.

In the meantime, a blood drive at the hospital today, saw several people coming to donate.

By mid-day, about 20 units, out of the targeted one hundred, were collected.

Nunes stressed that the blood drive is necessary to help alleviate the severe shortage of blood needed for transfusions.