HOSPITAL BEDS TO THE SOLOMONS
Seventy hospital beds donated by John of God Hospital at North Richmond were loaded on a container at a warehouse in Castle Hill on Friday, August 6, and will be heading to Honiara in the Solomon Islands in a few days.
Peter Terry, President – Solomon Islands Wantok Association of NSW Inc contacted Rotary Club of Norwest Sunrise. member Russ Evans to see if the club could help get the items to the Solomon Islands. The club has covered the cost of storage, the container, shipping and insurance.
The beds will be heading to Kilu’ufi Provincial Hospital in Malaita Province with the help of The Rotary Club of Honiara. Kilu’ufi is the third largest hospital in the Solomon Islands and is 4km north of Auki, the capital of Malaita Province (population 170,000).
Peter was at the warehouse with a team of helpers who spent several hours loading the 40-foot container with the beds and also boxes of hospital gowns and gloves, medical equipment, walkers, bedpans and hospital bed linen.
It was like a giant Tetris puzzle trying to fit as much in. As well as the beds, headboards and mattresses were 26 bags of bed linen and blankets, 38 boxes of medical supplies, 8 microscopes, medical gowns, surgical scrubs, gloves, 30 chairs, two sterilising units and various other items donated to the Solomon Islands Association by hospitals around Sydney.
The container should arrive in the Solomon Islands in mid-September.
Peter Terry said: “On behalf of the Solomon community here in Sydney, I would like to thank you and all those involved in this project.
“You all have made a tremendous contribution towards the welfare of our people in the Solomon Islands.”
The items were stored at Rotary’s HEERA (Health and Education Equipment Repurposing Activity) program warehouse.
HEERA stores surplus equipment and resources which are sent to developing nations on request for sustainable developmental aid or relief.
Acceptable items include books, stationary, desks and chairs, blackboards and whiteboards, bookcases and filing cabinets, sporting equipment and computers (minimum Pentium 4). Sewing machines, over-lockers, sewing kits, gardening tools, workshop equipment, medical supplies (not drugs), linen, wheelchairs, walkers, walking frames, walking sticks and crutches.
If you wish to donate email the regional manager Keith Roffey [email protected]
