Hurricane Irma Recovery in Cuba

Hello, generous donors! We are pleased to share this update on the progress that has been taking place behind the scenes at our Pittsburgh headquarters in preparation for the first distributions for Hurricane Irma Recovery in Cuba. 

• Our goal during this phase is to recover and rehabilitate 5 large reference hospitals and improve their capacity to provide medical attention post-disaster. 3 of the 5 hospitals are teaching hospitals; all hospitals under the proposal offer general medical attention as well as OBGYN, pediatrics, and all surgical specialties.
• First 2 of 5 total containers are scheduled to ship next week, December 12th and 14th, and contain a combination of donated and purchased materials such as clinical and administrative furniture, basic equipment, instruments and boxed medical supplies. We will kick off January 2018 with the remaining 3 containers.
• Shipments under this project will benefit large reference hospitals in the following affected provinces: 
• Villa Clara (pop. 803,562) 
• Sancti Spíritus (pop. 141,300)
• Ciego de Ávila (pop. 433,036)
• Guantánamo (pop. 510,863)
• Camagüey (pop. 782,458)
• All shipments will arrive in Cuba by March 1st.
• Funding was secured through partnerships with PAHO/WHO and MEDICC, gifts from individuals received through the Global Giving project, and a grant from the Global Giving Foundation.
• Other in-country partners are MINSAP (Minister of Health) and MINCEX (Ministry of Foreign Trade, the consignee who - alongside PAHO - is responsible for customs clearances and logistics)

Closing out 2017 and beginning 2018 with distributions of materials for Irma Recovery is especially meaningful as our we begin our 24th year of partnership with Cuba and its people. We thank YOU for helping to make this recovery project possible. Your support will enable Global Links to deliver the materials that Cuba's highly-trained and compassionate healthcare professionals need to provide care for their patients and improve capacity in their hospitals. 

We ask that you consider making another gift to help us close the funding gap for this project. Your tax-deductible gift for hurricane recovery is the best way to show your solidarity with the people of Cuba.

Every dollar helps, so if you can give, please do so here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-irma-recovery-in-cuba/ 

Again, thank you. And from all of us at Global Links, have a happy and healthy holiday season!

Links:

• https://www.triplepundit.com/2017/10/irmas-destruction-global-links-ships-surplus-medical-equipment-cuba/