USAID Donates $1.5 Million in Medical Equipment and Supplies
March 28, 2008

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The US Government, through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Strengthening Health and Education program, donated $1.5 million in medical equipment and supplies to the Salvadoran Health Ministry.

Salvadoran Health Minister Jose Guillermo Maza tries one of the new ultrasound dopplers on a pregnant member of his staff.

The donation is part of a US Government investment that will strengthen Salvadoran public health services.  The equipment and supplies will benefit 29 hospitals, 12 rural nutrition centers and 95 health clinics supported by USAID’s program.

The supplies for the hospitals include scales for newborns, endotracheal tubes, freestanding warmers, transport incubators, examination tables, delivery beds, laryngoscopes, gloves, and sterile masks.  The rural nutrition centers will get children’s chairs and tables, children’s books and other supplies which will help motivate parents and children to go to these support centers.

“With these new materials and equipment hospitals will be able to provide better quality medical care to mothers and children and also reduce hospital infections.  Also the rural nutrition centers, which provide nutritional care for children and counseling, will be better prepared to handle the children’s needs with the supplies we are providing”, said Deborah Kennedy-Iraheta, USAID’s El Salvador Director, during the event.

The Salvadoran Health Minister, Jose Guillermo Maza, presided over the donation ceremony.  Other health authority representatives present were the Vice Minister of Health, José Ernesto Navarro, hospital directors, regional health directors, and representatives from other charitable organizations.

Salvadoran Health Vice Minister Jose Ernesto Navarro tours through a sample of the donated medical equipment with USAIDs Strengthening Health and Education program director Reynaldo Grueso.