Solomon Islands: Humanitarian Aid and donated medical supplies
The week in the Solomon Islands has rounded off with news of Australian having provided 1 million SBD (AUD200,000) through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership to Oxfam, World Vision, Care/Live & Learn, the CAN DO network and Plan International Australia to assist with health and hygiene promotion, community messaging and coordination of COVID-19 preparedness activities across Solomon Islands.
A press release from the Australian High Commission read, quote
“On 10 April Australia mobilised 4 tonnes of humanitarian supplies from our Brisbane humanitarian warehouse to assist with COVID-19 preparedness and TC Harold response efforts. Australia’s humanitarian warehouse has the largest stockpile of prepositioned humanitarian emergency relief supplies within the Pacific region, which ensures supplies can be mobilised to our Pacific family quickly in times of need.
“The mobilised supplies include 450 kitchen kits. Oxfam and the NDMO are distributing these as part of the Cyclone Harold response. The kits are going to affected communities in western Guadalcanal initially, and include pots, pans, bowls and cutlery to help families that were impacted by TC Harold. We will continue to work with the NDMO to ensure supplies reach communities in need.
“The supplies also include 150 hygiene kits, which Live and Learn and the NDMO are distributing in Honiara to boost community preparedness for COVID-19. The kits include buckets, water purification tablets, antibacterial soap and detergent. High Commissioner Dr Lachie Strahan said Australia was proud to support the NGOs and that it was wonderful to see the effects of their hard work.”
In a separate development, Solomon Brewery Limited’s (SolBrew) during the week donated medicines and medical supplies to the value of SBD350,000 to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) Pharmacy.
The range of medical supplies provided included medical personal protection equipment (PPE), breathing support masks, a wide range of antibiotics and transfusions (drips).
I offer my thanks to Australian and to Solomon Brewery for the much needed humanitarian relief supplies and for the donated medical supplies delivered to the NRH.
The Solomon Islands recently received PPE from the Chinese (PRC) Government but the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has said many more items of PPE are needed to be issued to provinces and to augment stocks of PPE’s at the NRH.
Should any suppliers of PPE’s read this letter on my website, or on Linkedin, and be willing and able to assist the Solomon Islands with gifted (approved) personnel protection equipment as the government continue its essential preventative measures against coronavirus, I ask they contact me via the link on my website.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
