U.S. NGO DONATES CARDIAC MONITORING SYSTEM TO

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000232 SIPDIS STATE PASS USAID NARIROBI PASS TO REDSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID SOCI DJ SUBJECT: U.S. NGO DONATES CARDIAC MONITORING SYSTEM TO DJIBOUTI CENTRAL HOSPITAL ¶1. (U) Assist International, a United States non-governmental organization (NGO),has partnered with a local NGO, International Aid Services, to provide a USD 250,000 reconditioned, full perimeter cardiac monitoring system with central station to Peltier Hospital in Djibouti. Peltier, a 450-bed hospital, is the largest hospital in Djibouti and serves as the referral hospital for the country's four district hospitals and 21 clinics. ¶2. (U) Ambassador and Minister of Health Ali Kamil inaugurated on February 23 the center at Peltier in which the equipment is located, along with Acting Foreign Minister and Minister of Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, Assist International's President Robert Paget, USAID Director, and members of the Peltier staff. A corner of the hospital was renovated to receive the eight full-perimeter Merlin Philips/HP color cardiac monitors. They will measure invasive and non-invasive blood pressure, oxygen and temperature of patients. Assist International brought in a team of eight persons to supervise device installation and the training of doctors and other technicians at the hospital in operation and use of the monitoring system. The system increases the essential capacity of Peltier to treat critically ill patients. ¶3. (U) Assist International's gift to Peltier complements the USD 12 million USAID essential health services improvement project, which is focused mainly in the rural areas and on maternal and child health, rehabilitation of rural clinics, and support to district hospitals. The U.S. program also aims to improve the quality of health services in Djibouti through training and supervision of health service providers and by ensuring community participation in health administration. ¶4. (U) According to Assist's president, Paget, Assist International, based in Scotts Valley, California, has completed over 50 humanitarian projects in 30 countries around the world, including in Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia, Zanzibar and Tanzania in Africa. RAGSDALE