PANAMA CITY
The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) donated Clinical Care Kits for the care of patients with Ebola Virus Disease to Panama’s Ministry of Health with cooperation from Taiwan to prepare for the treatment of potential Ebola cases that may appear in Panama in the future.
The donation ceremony, which took place at the Embassy of Taiwan in Panama, is part of a larger regional effort to respond to country requests in Latin America and the Caribbean to better prepare for and control a potential outbreak of Ebola.
The project is a direct response to a request from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and other world leaders for increased international cooperation to better address the potential threat posed by Ebola worldwide and in the Americas.
With support from Taiwan, PADF is delivering Clinical Care Kits to Panama and other countries in the region. In the event of an Ebola outbreak, the equipment can be quickly deployed to hospitals and other care facilities to protect medical personnel who treat patients with Ebola.
Each kit contains personal protective items that meet the rigorous standards of international health organizations, including gowns, goggles, respirators, masks, gloves, biohazard bags, aprons, and other essential gear. According to international health experts, quick access to such equipment is essential to prevent the spread of the virus.
“In light of the ongoing risks posed by the Ebola virus, Taiwan has partnered with PADF to boost preparedness efforts in Panama, and also in other countries in the region,” stated Ambassador Diego Lin Chou of the Embassy of Taiwan in Panama. “We remain committed to emergency preparedness in the Americas and providing aid that meets high priority local needs that can save many lives.”
While no cases of Ebola have been reported in the region, international health organizations have been working to ensure that countries like Panama are prepared to safely treat patients, providing basic equipment, enhancing knowledge, and upgrading systems to address a potential outbreak of the virus.
“There is urgent need for protective equipment to prevent the transmission and spread of Ebola in the region. This donation is a major step in addressing the potential threat posed by an Ebola outbreak,” stated PADF Executive Director John Sanbrailo. “PADF is grateful to Taiwan for facilitating this cooperation with Panama, and for quickly and efficiently responding to Secretary Kerry’s and others’ call for increased international cooperation for this purpose. It is humanitarian partnerships like these that help the region prepare for and respond to emergencies and express the true spirit of international solidarity.”
PADF and Taiwan have been collaborating with countries throughout the region to address emergencies and natural disasters. The Taiwan-PADF Disaster Assistance and Reconstruction Fund is a five-year partnership to foster preparedness and mitigation programs. This initiative is part of an effort that PADF has undertaken to help communities better prepare for and mitigate the impact of emergencies in the region. In addition, other community-based disaster preparedness projects have been carried out in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A new project is being planned for Belize.
About PADF
PADF operates throughout the Americas and is an Inter-American instrument for generating economic opportunities, advancing social progress, strengthening communities and civil society, and aiding victims of natural disasters and humanitarian crises. In 2014, it reached more than 15 million people in 27 countries.
CONTACT
PADF
Hearly G. Mayr
Director of Communications and Public
Affairs
+1-202-280-3846
hmayr@padf.org
