Destination Cuba
By Jeff Labine, tbnewswatch
The 34th ocean container will soon be loaded with medical supplies on
its way to Cuba.
Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunity and Cook Engineering have
teamed up to help get recycled medical supplies to Cuba.
“We started in October 2004 and at that time we had 11 ocean containers
shipped and we thought that would be it,” said Jerome Harvey, CEO of
MEMO-Cuba.
“We didn’t realize that about ten per cent of a hospitals equipment is
replaced every year. It has made a huge impact on (Villa Clara).”
The container is filled with hospital materials, which Harvey says is
outdated by Western standards.
“In here we have x-ray processing machines. In Canada we use all digital
so there is no film process. In Cuba they still use x-ray films.”
Harvey said MEMO is sending equipment to conduct a breast-screening program.
“It will be the first breast screening program in Cuba at the present
time. The biggest challenge is when you ship this equipment how do you
get them to use it? We’ve had 14 surgical, technical teams from Thunder
Bay go down there to show the Cuban doctors how to use the equipment.”
Dave Knutson, president of Cook Engineering, said his involvement was
because a shareholder knew Harvey. He found out that the container would
cost $9,000 to ship.
“Cook Engineering agreed to donating a third (of the amount needed) and
challenge any interested employees to match that,” said Knutson.
The volunteer group raised the amount needed to ship to Cuba and Cook
volunteers helped to load the container on Saturday
Destination Cuba – TbNewsWatch.com (14 June 2009)
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/News/?cid=59092
Tags: Aid, Health, Sanctions, Trade sanctions