Aid for People Affected by Tsunami

Two major programs to address the critical care and other healthcare needs of people in Indonesia and Thailand affected by the tsunami have been announced by a humanitarian organization named Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere, Millwood, VA, USA) along with Genzyme Corp. (Cambridge, MA, USA).

The first project is a one-year program designed to improve the national level of pediatric critical care nursing skills in Thailand. In collaboration with the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Nursing there, 55 nurses from hospitals serving the tsunami-affected areas will be trained with a standardized curriculum, resulting in certification. These trained nurses will then train peer nurses at their hospitals, raising the level of pediatric critical care nursing across Thailand.

A second project is a three-year commitment to re-equip and provide professional health training in order to re-establish quality medical service at Zaineol Abidin University Hospital in Bande Aceh (Indonesia), which lost 50% of its staff and most of its equipment and supplies in the tsunami. Doctors and nurses from Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, USA) have volunteered with Project HOPE to restore medical services at the hospital and to provide training for the new hospital staff. During the first year, the focus will be on the pulmonary/infectious disease unit and obstetrical/gynecological care.

Genzyme will provide a three-year contribution totaling U.S.$1 million. "We wanted to contribute to the rebuilding effort in line with our corporate philosophy of creating constructive solutions to global health problems,” observed Henri Termeer, chairman and CEO of Genzyme.






Related Links:
Project HOPE
Genzyme Corp.