By Kathleen Hower | Executive Director
Reports from the World Health Organization / Pan American Heath Organization verify that Cuban medical facilities have been extensively damaged by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, jeopardizing health care delivery in the country. More than 1,300 health facilities across the island reported damage. Reports indicate that the health infrastructure in western Cuba was severely damaged: 314 health facilities, 26 hospitals, 18 polyclinics, 191 family consultation offices, 14 homes for the elderly and 42 pharmacies. The Isle of Youth, an island off the southern coast of Cuba sustained severe damage. The general hospital with a capacity of 396 beds, was severely damaged and is not functional. This hospital delivers services to the population of 87,000. In addition, three primary health care clinics have also been damaged as well as the main emergency unit, the unit of epidemiological surveillance, and the municipal warehouse for medical supplies.
Working in collaboration with the WHO/PAHO, Global Links will send the first two shipments of urgently needed medical supplies and furnishings on Friday, October 3, and Monday, October 6. These are the first of four containers that we have committed to sending this month. Donations will begin to address urgent needs for basic medical supplies, furnishings and equipment communicated by our partners in Cuba.
Our first two shipments include more than 600 boxes of disposable and reusable medical supplies such as syringes, gauze, gloves, specialized surgical supplies, alcohol prep pads, liquid nutrition, IV supplies and hospital linens. Other basic materials include IV poles, beds, mattresses, gurneys, walkers, crutches and storage cabinets.
In the upcoming weeks, we will send many more hospital beds, mattresses, linens medicines; a significant quantity of waiting and patient room chairs; exam tables; and an additional 500 boxes of disposable and reusable medical supplies.
The Pan American Health Organization is supporting a portion of our cost; money raised on globalgiving will help us purchase needed materials for these and other shipments.
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