The U.S. government, through U.S. Southern Command, donated eight Hamilton T1 ventilators in mid-February that, together with the two mobile hospitals donated in September 2020, will increase the Dominican government’s capability to deploy personnel and medical teams quickly, and to care for those in need of emergency assistance during disaster response operations or health crises.
Valued at $200,000, the donation is an example of the cooperation between the United States and the Dominican Republic to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Embassy Acting Minister Counselor Alex Titolo said that the donations were for the long-term benefit of the Dominican people. “The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo has been here, together with you since the beginning of this dark hour, and we will be here when it passes to help rebuild. Our nations are linked in many ways, and together we will overcome this, and build an even stronger future for both our countries,” he added.
The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo has been here, together with you since the beginning of this dark hour, and we will be here when it passes to help rebuild. Our nations are linked in many ways, and together we will overcome this, and build an even stronger future for both our countries,” U.S. Embassy Acting Minister Counselor Alex Titolo.
On behalf of the Dominican government, Major General (ret.) Dr. Juan Manuel Méndez García, head of the Emergency Operations Center (COE, in Spanish), thanked the U.S. government for the donation and for its collaboration in this and other emergencies that the Dominican Republic has faced. “Today, we once again shake the friendly hand of the U.S. government and U.S. Southern Command, for keeping one step ahead in the battle against this pandemic that has caused so much damage worldwide,” he said.
The eight ventilators are part of U.S. Southern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP), and together with the two mobile hospitals delivered in September 2020, the donation is worth a total of $950,000. At this time, these ventilators will increase the country’s capacity to treat COVID-19 patients. In times of no medical emergencies, they will be used to train disaster response medical personnel under programs of the medical civil action project (MEDCAP) and/or disaster response exercises across the country.
Dominican Minister of Public Health Dr. Plutarco Arias and Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa were also present at the donation ceremony.