A local Tulsa business has put its humanitarian foot forward, fully furnishing a Haitian hospital just in time to bring aid to the recent Hurricane Ike victims. While Southwest Medical has spent the last month putting the finishing touches on its largest medical donation to date, the recent tropical storms ravaging through the Caribbean have proven that now more than ever, medical relief is needed in Haiti. The company, based out of Broken Arrow, didn’t realize how important this medical equipment would be when owner Jeff Rogers agreed to furnish a hospital in La Gonave.
“We just wanted to do what we could for a great work being done on the island. We never dreamed we would also get to contribute to relief efforts for hurricane victims,” Rogers said.
After hearing about another Tulsa local’s efforts on the island of La Gonave, located 12 miles off the coast of Haiti, the medical sales company decided to team up and lend a hand. Guts Church unofficially adopted the island six years ago. Since then, the church has purchased and delivered a drilling rig to the island, drilling several water wells and building homes and schools. When the church announced plans to build a fully-functioning permanent hospital for the island’s 100,000 inhabitants, a handful of Southwest Medical’s employees jumped at the opportunity to serve.
“It just worked out perfectly. We specialize in furnishing hospitals and clinics. We heard what Guts was doing and knew we could contribute in a unique way,” Production Manager Ben Holloway said.
The employees of Southwest Medical went to work, pulling whatever equipment was necessary from their supply. The end result was enough medical and surgical equipment to furnish the whole hospital. Defibrillators, vital signs monitors, transport stretchers, surgical lights, sterilizers-
Nine months later, the equipment is ready to be shipped and the hospital will be opened just in time to provide care to the thousands of Haitians affected by the hurricanes. Already considered one of the poorest communities on earth, La Gonave needs this hospital now more than ever.
“Everyone at Southwest Medical is excited to help our neighbors, both here in Tulsa and on a remote island far away,” Rogers said. “This is just us doing our part, for the greater good.”
Southwest Medical Corporation can be found online at http://www.swmedical.com .
