Haiti Adventist Hospital, located about a half-hour outside of Port-au-Prince, was one of the first three hospitals in the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists to accept COVID-19 cases. The first week following Haiti’s national emergency declaration, the medical facility closed its doors to prepare teams, services, and operations for what was to come.
What soon followed, said Chief of Staff Franck Geneus, was an increase in prices in the market for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other key items. PPE – critical for front-line health care workers and other first responders – includes masks, face shields, protective eyewear, gloves, and more.
“Although we started with a fairly significant stock of PPE, we knew that it would be challenging to restock regularly,” he said.
Clínica Adventista Ana Stahl in Iquitos, Peru, which is in the South American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, closed for much longer as a result of the outbreak in its area. According to a report by Reuters, Peru confirmed its first coronavirus case on March 6 and surpassed 10,000 cases by April 14. By the end of that month, Clínica Adventista Ana Stahl had to shutter its doors for 30 days because of a staffing shortage. Of its 250 employees, about 75 percent had gone on sick leave.
“One of the reasons they had such a high rate of sickness is because they didn’t have an adequate supply of PPE,” said Greg Hodgson, director of Centura Health’s global mission work. Centura Health is a regional partnership of AdventHealth, and the Adventist medical institutions in Peru, like Haiti Adventist Hospital, are footprint facilities in the AdventHealth Global Missions program.
While much of the work of AdventHealth Global Missions take place overseas, such as mission trips, on-site strategic planning sessions, and other in-person touchpoints, the team saw an opportunity to continue to support footprint facilities from home by shipping PPE in collaboration with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). They started by sending supplies to Haiti Adventist Hospital, Andrews Memorial Hospital (Jamaica) and Centro Médico Vista del Jardín (Dominican Republic), and then added Clínica Adventista Ana Stahl and Hospital Adventista Valle de Ángeles (Honduras), among others.
“Local procurement of the needed PPE has quickly become impossible in our territory, mainly because of high costs and unavailability – two serious hurdles now impeding an adequate flow of proper service,” said Elie Honoré, MD, president for Adventist Healthcare Services – Inter-America. “My reaction is one of gratitude and thankfulness to God and to AdventHealth for this intervention.”
Using their combined expertise in logistics, AdventHealth and ADRA have been able to send 30 pallets of PPE to hospitals in nine different countries so far. The process began with AdventHealth Global Missions asking the footprint facilities for their monthly consumption levels to determine donation quantities, and working closely with AdventHealth’s supply chain teams to ensure the items were from donation-eligible stockpiles.
“AdventHealth is happy to support church entities and other key partners whenever and wherever we can throughout this pandemic,” said Marisa Farabaugh, chief supply chain officer for AdventHealth. “Since our inventory levels and needs are always changing, our supply chain teams are constantly evaluating the opportunity to help others, while always keeping our primary focus on protecting our teammates and front-line workers.”
This generosity went a long way to help facilities like Haiti Adventist Hospital.
“The support from AdventHealth was providential, so to say,” said Geneus. “We received from the materials like masks, gowns, foaming soaps, sanitizers, and other consumables.”
Monetary donations were also made to help the facilities source PPE locally. For instance, Centura Health donated $30,000 to help the Peru footprint facilities secure PPE. Additional funds are going toward the creation of a COVID-19 ward at Clínica Adventista Ana Stahl.
“The needs are still there for AdventHealth Global Missions,” said Monty Jacobs, director of the program. “Our work is not just about medical mission trips. It’s about fostering footprint relationships and collaborating with our partners so that they can continue their mission and serve their communities during these difficult times.”
Hodgson agreed.
“Our mission statement says we’re here to extend the healing ministry of Christ and as part of the Adventist family, we have a responsibility and opportunity to support Adventist health care whether in our community or around the world,” he said.