From Bombs to Beds
- REI
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
by K. Douglas Erdmann, REI President & CEO
Houaphanh is a rural province in Laos bordering Vietnam. Known for its beautiful forests and mountainous topography, it is also famous for being one of the most heavily bombed parts of Laos during the Vietnam War. The area is slowly being cleared of bomb remnants, but it is anticipated it will take another 200 years or longer to fully clear the land.
A couple years ago our REI country leaders for Laos at that time, Bill and Ann Munson, were asked if they could locate a few incubators for a hospital in the capital city. This led to a request from the Lao Ministry of Health for REI to supply a whole shipping container of medical equipment to Houaphanh province. REI focuses on training people, not supplying equipment. But the Munsons wanted to take this on, so we contacted an organization that specializes in collecting used medical equipment and sending it to developing countries, Project C.U.R.E. An REI - C.U.R.E. partnership was begun.
C.U.R.E sent an assessor to two hospitals in Houaphanh province to determine what was actually needed, while the Munsons and REI got busy raising over $40,000 to cover logistical and shipping costs. This was a small price to pay for what was determined to be needed, equipment with a wholesale price tag between $350,000 to $400,000.
Once the needs were determined, C.U.R.E. collected the equipment, loaded it into a large container, and shipped it this fall to the two hospitals, one a large provincial hospital recently opened and the other a small district hospital several miles away. Among many other things, the shipment included these much-needed things: 21 ICU beds with tray tables, lines and IV poles; a centrifuge lab: blood pressure cuffs; an exam table; surgical kits; physical therapy equipment and a Hower lift.
Although the equipment was already distributed, the Ministry of Health wanted REI to participate in an “equipment handover ceremony” in the province last month. Attending for REI were Ann Munson, Dr. Kenneth Panaligan, my wife and myself. From the Ministry of Health were several officials including the recently retired Minister himself, along with Dr. Viengsakhone (a longtime friend of REI’s and one of our Exchange Fellows), the provincial head of the Ministry and many other medical officials.
The REI personnel were also given a tour of the two hospitals where we were able to see much of the equipment that had been donated.
That evening the REI group was invited to a traditional Baci ceremony followed by a feast and dancing, a way for the Lao officials to express their gratitude for the equipment that REI and C.U.R.E. provided. Our group left the ceremony knowing that, not only had REI blessed many needy people of that province, but that REI’s already favorable reputation with the Ministry of Health had been significantly enhanced.
Handing over this medical equipment was not the only purpose of this trip. As you may remember, the Munsons retired and left Laos last year. Fortunately, we have two couples joining our staff and moving to Laos next year, Drs. Kenneth and Louvel Panaligan (from the Philippines) and Kevin and Amber Harper (from the U.S.). This trip was a chance to introduce Dr. Panaligan and the Harpers, and also to investigate possible contributions for both couples in Laos.
Our group had a wonderful meeting with the dean and other officials from Laos’ medical school. The result was that both couples were offered jobs at the medical school next year. Between the goodwill generated by the medical equipment project, and the warm reception of our future staff at the medical school, the future of REI’s work in Laos seems bright.
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