On Saturday May 2nd 2020, JCI Antigua, in collaboration with LICS Limited made a timely donation of over 4,100 cubic feet of medical oxygen gas to the Infectious Disease Control Center (IDC) at the Margetson ward, Holberton Hospital. President of JCI Antigua, Ms. Andrea L. Smithen made the donation on behalf of the organization to the country’s Medical Director, Doctor Albert Duncan.
The donation is said to be a timely one as the country has recently opened its first-ever infectious disease and control center last month as part of its response to fight COVID-19. According to President Smithen, “JCI Antigua’s mandate as a nonprofit is to assess community needs and to find sustainable and impactful solutions. With this pandemic, it is obvious that healthcare facilities are at the heart of the fight.”
The nonprofit organization is known for its continuous outreach programs throughout the year. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, certain medical supplies and equipment have quickly become scarce commodities. Some of the medical supplies needed to adequately fight the disease are said to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ventilators, and oxygen. In explaining the purpose of the donation of oxygen, President Smithen commented, “we have learned that oxygen and the use of ventilators are critical to saving lives with this disease and as such, we readily jumped at the opportunity to donate the medical oxygen gas to the newly opened Infectious Disease Control Centre.”
In accepting the donation, Medical Director at the Mount St. John’s Medical Center, Doctor Duncan stated, “On behalf of Mount St. John’s, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, I want to express our appreciation and thanks for this offer and we will certainly use it in the right way.”
While this has been the first donation JCI Antigua has made to the IDC, it is certainly not the first donation of medical supplies the organization has made to health institutions. Earlier this year, the service-based organization made a similar donation to theCancer Centre Eastern Caribbean on Michaels mount, a donation to the oncology dept of MSJMC and a donation of medical supplies to the St. John’s Hospice.
Though the country is currently under stringent measures to fight the spread of the COVID-19 disease which has affected gatherings and events, JCI Antigua is committed to continuing their mandate of giving back whenever and however they can.
“Call me optimistic, but JCI Antigua’s programs have not been adversely affected since COVID-19. Instead, the pandemic has caused us to regroup and revamp our projects. It has shown that we are resilient, innovative, and creative and members have tapped into skills they perhaps didn’t realize they had. These are all positive outcomes. Yes, some of our programs as originally planned may have been canceled but we have readily adapted our initiatives and implemented new ones to remain relevant and most importantly, impactful,” The president said.
Smithen continued by stating that, “we have been compelled to think outside the box and I’m truly pleased and proud of our members for upholding our mission and vision of active citizenship notwithstanding the pandemic.”
In thanking their corporate partners, President Smithen said, “we are truly appreciative of LICS Limited who quickly answered the call to partner with us in our continued service to humanity. A true example of corporate social responsibility at work.”
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