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Published Monday, December 21, 2020
Japan donates medical equipment
valued at $2 million-plus
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Government of Japan, through the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, announced the donation of medical equipment, valued at $2,841,985, to Social Security.
Through the UNOPS project, hospital beds, bed monitors for patients and portable x-ray equipment, which allow taking lung radiographs more quickly for the approach of patients with respiratory conditions, will be donated to the public health system of the country.
"We receive this donation with great joy because it represents hope and brotherhood at the time when the countries continue to fight, like the rest of the world, against this terrible pandemic," Román Macaya-Hayes, president of Social Security said.
The donation agreement was signed by Komatsu Shinjiro, the Japanese ambassador to the country, and Alejandro Rossi, UNOPS representative in Costa Rica.
"Japan hopes to continue to strengthen relations of friendship and goodwill with the sister nation of Costa Rica, and to contribute to the global fight against coronavirus," said Ambassador Shinjiro. "It is in the interest of both countries to continue collaborating closely to face the enormous health, economic and social challenge that covid-19 caused to humanity."
It is expected that the equipment will be received within the next year and then distributed among hospitals and public clinics.
In September, Japan 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 can access difficult areas, have passive safety systems ABS, double fuel tank, 4x4 traction, in addition to including all the necessary equipment for emergency attention.
These were delivered to the emergency stations located in Tucurrique District in Cartago Province and Monteverde District in Puntarenas Province.
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 to public hospitals.
Currently, the Red Cross reported its income by approximately 56% of its own funds and 44% from public funds.
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