GPHC receives $2M in PPE from Israel

The Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) has received a quantity of personal protective equipment (PPEs) valued $2 million from the Government of Israel.  The exercise was facilitated through the Embassy of Israel in Panama.

The donation included surgical masks, surgical caps, KN95 masks, shoe covers, surgical gowns and pulse oximeters. The items were handed over to the hospital on Thursday.

Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy extended gratitude to the Ambassador and the Government of Israel for the timely donation. He also congratulated the country as they are on the verge of becoming the first in the world to achieve universal coverage against COVID-19 for their adult population.

Dr. Ramsammy said the donation is a great opportunity for Israel to have a stronger presence in the Caribbean and Guyana, which would benefit all people.

“I want to ask for this co-operation to be strengthened so that more of our young people can benefit from the research and technology that Israel is well known for.

I hope that we can talk more on building this co-operation in health. I want to express our gratitude because we are in a better position because of the donation, even though the world has a distance to travel in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.

Ambassador to Panama, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency, Reda Mansour said the donation to Guyana is symbolic as it is the beginning of fruitful relations between the two countries.

“Accept this modest donation from the People of Israel as a sign and beginning of fruitful relationship and there is a lot to be done especially in the health sector.

Israel is a world health leader and we like to share our know-how in this field with professionals from all over the world,” he said.

Ambassador Mansour added that the donation is part of Israel’s global effort, over the last few months, to share its resources with the world.

“COVID-19 is symbolic and historic for the international community. It is showing us that we should be cooperating much more, working together much more, opening channels of communications between nations.”

The Ambassador also said Israel would be communicating more with Caribbean countries on issues of development and where they can collaborate to develop the living conditions of all people through the sharing of experiences in different fields.