The Juan Manuel Márquez University Pediatric Hospital in Havana was the site of a moving day of gratitude for the second visit from the Spanish non-governmental organization Open Arms. Aboard the sailboat Astral, they delivered another donation of medical supplies, milk, and medicines, adding to the solidarity shown by Mexican civil society.
Araís Consuegra, the hospital’s director, expressed the deep gratitude of the medical staff and emphasized the impact of the previous aid during critical moments in maintaining ventilation for patients who required it.
The previous donation, which included solar panels, power banks, and portable ultrasound machines, marked a turning point for the institution, as these resources ensured a reliable electricity supply, improved diagnostic capabilities for the most critically ill patients, and guaranteed continuity of treatment.
“The medical supplies allowed us to continue operating with dignity,” the director emphasized.
This second shipment of nearly seven tons, donated by Mexican civil society and facilitated by Open Arms, includes medical equipment, powdered milk, medications, and other supplies, which will also benefit the Dr. Abelardo Buch López Institute of Nephrology.
“Behind each box are hours of work, sacrifice, and solidarity from many, including our fellow healthcare workers in Mexico,” Consuegra noted.
For her part, Alina Arredondo, Head of Nursing at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), offered a heartfelt testimony from the daily front lines.
Those of us who work here, day and night, at the bedside of the most vulnerable children, know the value of every resource we receive, she expressed, and she especially thanked the portable ultrasound machines that have saved lives.
She also extended her gratitude to the nurse colleagues from Mexico who, from their own circumstances, contribute to this work.
Óscar Camps, director of Open Arms, noted that after witnessing the needs firsthand during his first visit in July, it was impossible not to return: “When you know exactly what someone needs and you know you have the opportunity to help, you can no longer say you didn’t know.”
Dr. Consuegra stated that Open Arms not only brings open arms, but also the certainty that, united, we can sustain hope, and that in the children’s hospital they have a home and a medical team that will never forget what they have done for the children of Cuba.
IMAGE CREDIT: Sarahí Núñez Pérez | Photos by Omara García
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
