COVID has been part of our lives for well over a year now, and as restrictions have been loosening up here in the US, things seem to be spiraling out of control for those in other parts of the world. Especially for our friends in the Philippines!
Many of you that are reading this are fortunate enough to live in a country where the vaccine is easily accessible, and while cases begin to rise again, the numbers at the point of writing this have not grown out of control, and due to many people (especially in the US) being vaccinated the numbers are far less likely to reach those of other spikes during the pandemic.
Last year we were able to hold a very successful fund raiser to provide PPE for the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. This was able to carry them a long way through the pandemic, along with the generosity of other organizations and individuals. However, things are getting much worse for our friends in the Philippines as their COVID wards are now spilling over into the streets and the staff and facilities are being stretched to their breaking point.
However, there is an island country in the Pacific Ocean that is getting hit especially hard, and it is one that holds a special place in our hearts. The country is the Philippines and more precisely in the city of Cagayan de Oro, where we have done many outreach ministries in the past, including Christmas parties for those in need and the purchase of PPE during the early days of the pandemic.
As the Delta Variant ravages, the country, and hospitals are filled beyond capacity, we are seeking to help the most vulnerable during this time. Hospitals in Cagayan de Oro have been put on CODE RED status for the second time this summer, which means that the health care system has reached its limit and drastic measures will need to be put in place to handle this emergency.
Unfortunately, the local government in the city is doing little to nothing to help aid the local health care facilities to combat this state of emergency as hospitals like Norther Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) and J.R. Borja General Hospital, are at over 200% capacity for their COVID Care Facilities. That is why it is up to us as NGOs and the world community to step up and provide help to these facilities as they are bursting at the seams.
It is our hope to raise money to supply these hospitals with the necessary PPE and medical equipment for the medical staff to perform their jobs safely and effectively. We have already submitted a purchase for nearly $900 dollars to purchase Gloves, Masks, Gowns, Googles, and Hazmat suites for these frontline workers.
We are now planning on making another purchase in the near future in purchase disinfectant spray, pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, and bug zappers.
Our goal right now is to raise $2,000 so that we can continue to provide support to these frontline workers as things continue to escalate in the Philippines.
However, if we can raise more money than this, then we will investigate purchasing more, or find other ways we can support the hospitals and the front-line workers as they fight to aid as many people as they can.
