Covid-19, a global pandemic that changed the lives of individuals and families around the world, claiming lives and forcing everyone to adjust to new social distancing rules and country wide lock downs to keep others safe. One of few things that was found to aid in preventing the spread of the disease when close contact with others was unavoidable is the use of Personal Protective Equipment or PPE. The Center for Disease Control, or CDC, recommended everyone use PPE when going in public including the use of things like face masks, gowns, gloves and sanitizer. Unfortunately, this high demand of PPE to keep safe caused a shortage of supplies for some, including hospital staff in the Covid-19 wards in Honduras. This is where Rotarians in Missouri (District 6040) and Tegucigalpa Honduras (District 4250) stepped in. With the help of donations from various Rotary clubs in the 6040 District, the WaldoBrookside Rotary Club and Villa Real de Tegucigalpa Rotary Club applied for, and were granted, a Global Grant through Rotary International to provide $169,000 of PPE to hospitals across Honduras.
Currently, Covid-19 cases in Honduras are on the rise with only about 5% of the population currently vaccinated. What started as a global grant to supply 26 hospitals PPE has since grown to supplying 31 hospitals responding to Covid-19. The PPE funded by this grant will be delivered throughout the month of June by the Villa Real de Tegucigalpa Rotary club. Like most successful global projects, partner organizations help assure a success - that was definitely the case for this grant project! Our global team had three great partners in this seamless execution. In the US, Heart to Heart International stepped in as our procurement specialist, consolidator and shipper. Heart to Heart International contributed a wealth of experience that avoided pitfalls that would have cost critical time and money! In Honduras, The Society of Internal Medicine of Honduras (SOHMI) members, some of which are Rotarians, assured the proper PPE specs, quantities and destinations were identified. SOHMI also coordinated storage and the on-going distribution of the PPE once received in Tegucigalpa. Additionally Honduras PPE supplier Pinturas del Sur will be helping with transporting the PPE, alongside Villa Real de Tegucigalpa Rotarians, to the 31 hospitals. Thank you to all the clubs, club members, individuals and organizations who supported this endeavor! Your contributions and support are making a huge impact in the effort to end the Covid-19 Pandemic. These include: • Rotary District 6040 • Rotary District 4250 • Rotary District 6110 • Rotary District 6060 • Rotary District 6080 • Rotary District 6780 • Rotary District 6690 • Parkville Rotary Club • Andrew County Rotary Club • St. Joseph East Rotary Club • Waldo-Brookside Rotary Club • Kansas City Plaza Rotary Club • Independence Rotary Club • Kirksville Rotary Club • Kirksville-Thousand Hills Rotary Club • Lee’s Summit Rotary Club • Plattsburg Rotary Club • Raytown Rotary Club • St. Joseph Rotary Club • Kearney Rotary Club • Lee’s Summit Downtown Rotary Club • Odessa Rotary Club • Kansas City Rotary Club • Kansas City South Rotary Club • Liberty Rotary Club • Platte City Rotary Club • Rock Port Rotary Club • Villa Real de Tegucigalpa Rotary Club • Trenton Rotary Club • Lawson Rotary Club • Eastern Independence Rotary Club • Friends United • Weston Rotary Club It was the strength of our combined Rotary Districts and a very passionate joint team that made this project possible. Very special thanks go to SOHMI Member and Rotarian Claudia Bravo in Honduras for Zooming into calls after long days in the Hospital to assure we got the details right, and Charles Hoogner with Heart to Heart International for helping secure product and assure fast, reliable and inexpensive shipping.