Northern Light Health donates critically needed supplies to India to address pandemic crisis
BREWER — Joining forces with Portland-based Partners for World Health, Northern Light Health is donating much-needed medical supplies and equipment to help overwhelmed hospitals and healthcare systems in India respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have a culture of caring at Northern Light Health that includes caring for our friends and neighbors in every corner of the world, explained Tim Dentry, president and CEO, Northern Light Health. “We are fortunate to have allies like Partners for World Health to help us make a difference where it matters.”
Supplies and equipment, including N95 masks, goggles, face shields, and medical devices such as oxygen concentrators and bag valve masks, which are devices used to assist people in breathing, were loaded onto pallets for Partners for World Health to pick up and ship to India.
“Thanks to the extraordinary discipline of our patient care team and the determination of our Supply Chain team to procure and conserve PPE, as well as the generosity of our greater Maine community, we can contribute to this worthy cause while still ensuring the absolute safety and protection of our own employees across the state,” explained Mike Whelan, vice president of Facilities and Supply Chain. Partners for World Health will arrange for the supplies to be shipped to Amara Hospital in Andhra Pradesh, a state in India’s southeastern coastal region.
“We are thrilled that Northern Light Health responded decisively to the challenge of finding ways to help those in India struggling to respond to the impact of COVID 19,” said Elizabeth McLellan, president and founder of Partners for World Health, “When we were approached by Navneet Marwaha, MD, vice president and chief quality officer at Northern Light Health, her passion to help and her desire to ensure that PWH could do this quickly and efficiently meant that in a few short days we had a significant package pulled together, and we are readying the first of four containers set to ship out. In addition, we are working to expedite via air freight critically needed equipment — I thank Navneet, Mike Whelan, and his team, and Tim Dentry, president and CEO, Northern Light Health for their generosity and trust in our mission, operation and values.”
The first air freight shipment is expected to arrive at its destination by mid-June.
Partners for World Health, a non-profit that specializes in getting medical supplies to places across the globe where they are needed, is raising money for this effort and others. Anyone willing to donate can do so online.