DEAR EDITOR, I am pleased to be able to write in response to an appeal for wheel chairs published in the Island Sun newspaper, today, Thursday 9 August, 2018, that my partner charity organization, ‘Take My Hands.’ Based in Auckland, has confirmed that 30, and possibly more, will be loaded into one of two 40 foot containers along with the 100 hospital beds that the SFA kindly paid for several weeks ago.
There has been some slight hold-up with sending the beds because the Wellington hospital that had agreed to release the beds to TMH has had to wait the arrival at the hospital of their replacements.
TMH has said the first 40 foot container with at least 50 hospital beds is expected to leave New Zealand bound for Honiara on 29 August, subject to any further change in plans.
The wheel chairs will be loaded into that container if at all possible, given the urgency for them at the NRH, but if not in the first container they will certainly be loaded into the second container with the remaining 50 hospital beds.
The supply of hospital equipment and medical supplies from TMH is a valuable supply line for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and it would by my plea that the second phase payment for the continuation of the MOH be made so more containers of much needed supplies can be sent covering the next six months or more.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
