Kakata, Margibi County – As part of its anti COVID- 19 initiative, the Cummings Africa Foundation (CAF) has supplied the C. H. Rennie Memorial Hospital in Kakata with assorted medical equipment and supplies to boost the government-run referral hospital’s response to COVID-19.
CAF also donated assorted items of medical supplies to the Barcolleh Health Center in Kakata.
On Thursday, CAF’s Country Director, Dr. Wede Elliot Brownell, as the head of the delegation visited the C. H. Rennie Hospital and presented the items to the COVID-19 treatment unit. They include 10 oxygen canisters filled with oxygen, 10 regulators, 4,000 paracetamol pills, 4,000 Zinc pills, 2,500 Azithromycin pills, 1,000 selenium pills, 10 oximeters, 5,000 and vitamin C pills. Other items include 2000 latex medical gloves, 2,000 face masks, 8 liters of bleach, 24 rubbing alcohol, 24 hand sanitizers, 60 bars of laundry detergent and 72 bars of medicated bath soap.
Turning over the items to the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Brownell said the initiative was in fulfillment of the foundation’s promise during its assessment tour recently. In addition to the supplies, she said 10 mattresses and several beddings have already been ordered and expected to be delivered to the unit by the end of the week. She thanked the hospital and staff for the immense sacrifice and promised that the isolation unit will be supported throughout the fight against COVID-19.
“On behalf of the Cummings Africa Foundation, we donate all these items to the C. H. Rennie Hospital. We want to thank you and the staff, for all that you have done and continue to do. The Founder, Mr. Cummings wants me to assured you that this isolation unit will be supported by the foundation throughout the fight against COVID-19,” she said while handing the medical equipment and drugs to the hospital’s Director, Dr. Yarvoh M. Moore-wilson.
Receiving the items, Dr. Moore-Wilson, on behalf of the County Health Officer and the staff of C.H. Rennie thanked CAF for the ‘timely’ initiative and promised the items will be used for the right purpose.
She said prior to the donation, the hospital had five canisters, but when they run out o⁴f oxygen, they would take them to Monrovia for refill, adding, along the way, there can be hitches and it takes time to return. But that problem, she said will now be solved with the new supplies.
“I am very much happy today and overwhelmed to see these supplies that was given to us by the Cummings Africa Foundation. Just talking about the cylinder, I bought a couple of them when we had patients and ran out of supply,” she said.
She added: “Our needs for oxygen supplies and other essential medical supplies cannot be overemphasized. At first we only have five canisters which when they get empty, we take them to Monrovia to refill and at times, we experience hitches along the way. At least Cummings Africa Foundation came to our rescue and has helped us immensely.”
The Barcolleh Clinic received five oxygen, 5 regulators, 2,000 paracetamol pills, 2,000 zinc, 1,000 Azithromycin pills, 500 Selenium pills, 5 oximeters and 1,000 vitamins pills. Other are 1,000 Latex medical gloves, 500 face masks, 4 liters of bleach, 12 rubbing alcohol, 12 hand sanitizers, 60 bars of laundry detergent and 72 bars of bath soap.
Raymond Cassell, a Consultant at the clinic, on behalf of the hospital thanked the CAF for living up to its promise. He said the items will be used for the intended purpose and called on other Liberians and humanitarian to join in the fight against COVID-19.
The donation is part of a US$150,000 anti COVID- 19project launched by the foundation through its founder, Mr. Alexander Cummings as its contribution to augmenting the Government of Liberia’s effort in the fight against COVID-19.
“I am pleased to announce that the Foundation is committing US$150,000 which is $25 million Liberian Dollars as our initial contribution to this fight. My fellow Liberians, I cannot ask you to do your part, and don’t do mine. At the Cummings Africa Foundation, we are doing all we can to do our part,” said Mr. Alexander Cummings, Founder and CEO of the Cummings Africa Foundation at the launch of the initiative earlier this month.
He continued: “We are however trying to help the government succeed in this effort. And so, working with a broader team of experts, we will regularly update the government on what we are doing, and recommend additional steps, as required, to be taken by the government to seriously fight the virus, stop the spread, and end the infections in the country.”
The initiative is supporting existing private and public healthcare facilities with medical equipment and supplies to COVID-19 isolation and treatment units. Smaller facilities are also given supplies to boost their response to COVID-19 and other diseases.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s donation followed the presentation of several items to the St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital treatment unit in Monrovia. The exercise continues today, July 30, with more donations at the Star Base treatment unit and the Redemption Hospital, both in Bushrod Island.