AMRF in the News

New Life Celebrated

In the West Bank the Arab Specialist Hospital is awaiting a container of medical equipment from AMRF – the first in several years going to this area.

But life goes on in a big way there, nevertheless. Recently two women gave birth to twins and a third to triplets! Dr. Salem Abu kaizaran, chairman of the hospital and the medical director of the Center Razan for the treatment of infertility, said in an interview that the births of multiple sets of twins is rare.

The hospital has 100 beds, 8 floors, with about 200 employees, working as a general hospital, but more specilized in IVF & infertility, Ophalmology, minimally invasive surgery, Laparoscopic surgeries,  endoscopic surgery, neouro surgery & cardiac cathetrization & surgery.

The hospital was estabished in 1998 and opened in 2000. The hospital serves as a refferel hospital for the West Bank & Gaza.

Making a Difference Years Later

Hello to all my AMRF friends and buddies: Last night I attended an uplifting gathering of N.U. student engineers and others working on water supply and other development issues in rural Honduras.

You may recall that a few years ago  AMRF donated an autoclave for sterilization of instruments in a clinic staffed by doctors from Dartmouth Med School which the students carried to Honduras on their flight. One of the doctors from the group, ACTS, spoke last night about their work and the absolute need for a clean water supply. After his presentation I spoke to him about the sterilizer and he told me he saw it a month ago and it is working well and is a major asset for their clinic.

Keep up your wonderful work !!!!!  

God bless.   My love to all .  Walter

Equipping a New Hospital…Helping a Little Girl Hear

News on Shipments

There’s nothing more gratifying than to see shipments head out the door. Here’s what’s been happening this Spring.

• On  May 3rd we shipped a 40’ container to Dominican Republic (ADR)
• On May 10th we loaded a 53’ truck for a shipment that includes medical equipment and hospital supplies destined for a series of hospitals serving needy communities scattered throughout Mexico. Sponsoring these donations are the Red Internacional de Ayuda a los Niños (International Network of Help for Children) located in Mexico City, and A Quién Corresponda from Garralda in the United States. Both foundations work together in hopes of filling a great need in Mexico.

• On the floor, expected to ship this summer is a 40 foot container headed for (SCMITA), in Jutiapa, Guatemala. This is particularly gratifying because AMRF is fully equipping this hospital in the municipality of Santa Catarina Mita, Jutiapa located about 100 miles southeast of from Guatemala City. A project of collecting, testing and refurbishing medical equipment donated for the most part by New England hospitals and clinics has been initiated this spring by AMRF. The construction of the building is virtually completed. It will house services for maternity, general medicine, dentistry, pediatrics, emergency services, morgue and pharmacy. The population of the local neighborhoods is 115,000, and the 40-bed hospital is expected to serve the larger communities of the surrounding area of Mancomunidad Lago de Güija as well. The hospital is needed because the remoteness of Santa Catarina and its surrounding communities from the existing more centrally located state and national hospitals makes it difficult for patients without financial resources to get to existing, more centrally located hospitals. Especially vulnerable are babies, young children, wom- en and the elderly of the region. Following the delivery of the ested medical equipment, AMRF will offer technical support to the staff of the hospital as needed. This program is being made possible through the generosity of Dr. Pat Hough and Dr. David Fredrick of SABA Medical School Foundation, who are supporting AMRF’s missions to assist the less fortunate.
• On the floor, fully funded and awaiting the ultimate shipping destination in SOMALIA is another container with the potential for a second container tht has been partially funded.
• We are working on other potential programs for Guatemala and Mexico!

Cochlear Implant for Priscila
Twelve year old Priscila Andrea Güitz Del Cid, who lives in the Municipio de Chimaltenango, Guatemala received a cochlear implant through the efforts of AMRF President/CEO, Victor Sologaistoa. Victor has been very active in obtaining cochlear implants for disadvantaged children. The selected children are brought to US hospitals for this procedure and training. In 2010 he coordinated the implant project for Priscila. Surgery was successfully performed on April 27 at the New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City.    The Worldwide Children’s Foundation and the hospital will be hosting Priscila and her mother at no cost to them for medical services, surgery and trans- portation. Priscila will stay in the hospital for surgery and then in the New York City area for approximately 35-45 days for surgery and recovery. Although this is not a program of AMRF, we are very proud of Victor’s activities in this field and his help for Priscila.

Saba School of Medicine Sends Containers to Hospital San Benito Peten

Hospital San Benito Peten

The Hospital San Benito Petén is located in a remote area in the Northwestern part of Guatemala, roughly 8 hours by car from Guatemala City. It is a small regional governmental hospital, and was visited last February by Victor Sologaistoa, Presi- dent/CEO AMRF as a part of a survey of many hospitals in Guatemala.

Dr. Bladimir Mijangos Morales, Assistant Director, with Victor Sologaistoa

Following Victor’s report on the needs of these hospitals, it was determined that Petén hospital is so poorly equipped it should be helped first.

Through a grant by the Saba School of Medicine Foundation of Guatemala two 40-foot containers have been sent by AMRF with much needed basic medical equipment including operating room equipment, x-ray, anesthesia, beds, ventilators, monitors, and hospital supplies.

Interestingly, despite its remoteness, the Hospital San Benito Petén has been approved for residents training by the University of San Carlos in Guatemala City, although it has been difficult to attract residents to go there. Hopefully the upgrading of equipment and facilities by AMRF will not only improve healthcare in this area, but will also serve as an attraction for residents as well.

Rahab Services in the Dominican Republic

Children Patients of ADR

A forty-foot container of AMRF donated medical equipment and hospital supplies is awaiting shipment to the Asociación Dominicana de Rehabilitación (ADR), headquartered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The mission of ADR is to provide the most efficient and integrated attention to persons with physical or intellectual disabilities without regard to their social economical condition.

In operation since 1968, this tax-exempt organization provides services in physical and occupational therapy, orthopedic surgery, development and fabrication of prosthetic devices, special education facilities, and professional rehabilitation. AMRF is proud to donate physical therapy and medical equipment to help reequip and refurbish ADR.

ADR Central

Making Prosthetics

WMF African Partner LTD/GTE and AMRF Equip Nigerian Hospitals

Victor and Kay with Delegation from Nigeria

Two 40-foot containers of medical equipment and hospital supplies donated by AMRF have been received in the State of Niger, Nigeria thanks to a grant by the World Medical Relief African Partner LTD/GTE.

Shown above are Ndagana Baba Alhaji, left, president of the foundation and members of the Niger State Government with AMRF’s Kay Barney and Victor Sologaistoa, who visited AMRF to make arrangements for the donation.

Baba reported “I’m delighted to inform you that we offloaded those containers today in Niger State, and everybody in the state is happy with the contents. Thanks for the good stuff.”

AMRF Equipment Arriving at Hospital San Benito Petén, Guatemala

November 4, 2010

Good Afternoon, Victor:

I just want to tell you that the two containers are in Petén. Dr. Flores and all the people in the hospital are very happy with all that was donated.

I believe that they do not have (enough) words of appreciation for all this, and they told me to extend their appreciation to all the people that have made this possible. We believe that you are a very important person in this and that without the help of all of you we would not have been able to achieve (our work).

We plan to visit the hospital to check everything that came and to get some photos and commentary from the people, and in addition to Dr. Flores, I will take pictures of the contents of the containers and all the equipment, and will remain today and will send (the pictures) to you at that time. We are here to help you with whatever you need, thanks.

Greetings, and thanks for everything,

Florencio Gonzalez

PRN Supplies Medical Equipment to AMRF

The Physicians Resource Network (PRN) of Fall River, MA, has become increasingly helpful to AMRF by providing hard-to-get medical equipment that AMRF needs to donate to hospitals serving needy communities world- wide. Robert B. Gaw Sr., president and his son, Bob Jr., have cooperated with AMRF in several shipments of donated equipment. PRN has sold medical equipment for over 25 years and rents and sells used, reconditioned equipment as well. AMRF is grateful for PRN’s help.

Ahmad Harazin: AMRF Representative

Ahmed discussing program for Indonesia in Dubai.

We are sad to announce that Ahmed Harazin, AMRF’s representative in Arab Countries for 10 years, died February 17. He was 70 years old. Working from his office in Gaza, Ahmed identified the needs and established several important medical equipment donation programs for hospitals in the West Bank, Indonesia and Lebanon.

According to his sons he was hard at work on finding programs for AMRF up to the day he died. The cause of death was lung cancer. During Kay’s visit to Gaza for AMRF in 1999, he met Ahmed and a working relationship with AMRF was devel- oped soon thereafter. Ahmed, born and educated in Gaza, received his university education in Egypt. He worked with the United Nations Emergency Force in Gaza and then moved to the US, where he obtained US citizenship. Ultimately, he made his principal homes in Gaza and El Arish, Egypt. DuringthepastseveralyearsworkingforAMRF was difficult as travel in and out of Gaza was restricted. During the Israeli military action his apartment and office were completely destroyed. His work will be taken over by his son, Hatem Harazin, who also lives in Gaza.

AMRF to the Source of the Zambezi

AMRF supporters Mary Louise and Bob Schecter—volunteers who have produced the “camera-ready” copy of AMRF News since its inception—recently brought a few pieces of medical equipment to the Zambian government clinic in northwestern Zambia. Bob lived in the area for several years between 1968 and 1972 collecting oral traditions for his doctoral dissertation, and the Schecters have renewed the connection with visits in 2004, 2005, 2007, and in September this year.

In the picture above, Bob is seen with the staff of the government Lwawu Total Health Center. In the picture below, is Mary Louise with Father Jackson Kuleya, of the nearby Franciscan Misison of Lwawu, which assists the clinic operation.