|
| 
Published Friday, September 4, 2020
Japan donates $85,000-plus worth
of ambulances to Red Cross
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
On Thursday, the Japanese government, through its embassy in Costa Rica, donated two ambulances to the Red Cross.
Each emergency vehicle is valued at $42,748, so the total donation was approximately $85,496, the Red Cross said in its statement.
The vehicles are enabled to enter areas of difficult access, have passive safety systems ABS, double fuel tank, 4x4 traction, in addition to including all the necessary equipment for emergency attention.
The vehicles were delivered to the emergency stations located in Tucurrique District in Cartago Province and Monteverde District in Puntarenas Province.
In August, the congress approved bill No.21148 that creates a 1% tax on the payment of internet services (wireless on mobile devices or line services) to finance the Red Cross expenses.
Currently, the 1% Cruz Roja tax is already collected on the payment of mobile phone services, landline phone services and cable services. The income of the Red Cross generated with the tax on the use of landlines and cell phones has decreased due to the tendency of the population to use platforms such as WhatsApp, "because of this, the population tends to use fewer phone calls," the Red Cross said in its statement.
According to the Red Cross, the new income will allow the hiring of more than 300 rescuers.
"This will allow the Red Cross to face the current situation after the decrease in income and hire more members to support the pre-hospital work carried out in the communities," said Glauco Quesada-Ramírez, president of the Costa Rican Red Cross.
According to the Red Cross, its officers work in the first line of response to emergencies, this entails a series of operating and management expenses. Currently, the institution is financed by approximately 56% of its funds and 44% from public funds.
In 2019, the Red Cross handled 430,000 emergencies. "This year more than 250,000 emergencies have been attended, in addition to having transferred more than 2,000 confirmed and suspected covid-19 patients," Quesada said.
-------------------------------
Have you heard about nonprofit organizations looking for support and donations in your community?We would
like to know your thoughts on this story. Send
your comments to news@amcostarica.com
|
