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Protecting Our Communities

COVID-19 Response

By CURE International

May 5^th, 2020

What has this pandemic impressed upon us?

We must find ways to help others.

While the virus forces us to keep a distance, our God continually shows us ways to remain unified and help each other.

We need community more than ever right now,

and here are some of the ways CURE is responding.

CURE Mission Support Center: United States

Read our story "Refurbishing Ventilators for Hospitals during COVID-19"

Currently, we have five ventilators that have been prepared for United States COVID response emergency field hospitals run by Samaritan’s Purse. “Samaritan’s Purse is deeply grateful for the ventilators CURE has just provided to us. Your generous help as partners in the battle against COVID-19 puts us in a great position to help save lives and reduce suffering.” Steve Nickel, JD VP Donor Ministries at Samaritan’s

In addition, our team will continue to work on restoring ventilators, monitors, test lung, oxygen enrichment attachments, and patient circuits for use in emergency hospital situations and for our charitable hospitals in Africa and the Philippines.

“The current COVID-19 pandemic presents a new set of challenges and opportunities. Our hospitals need to be prepared for the possibility of caring for sick COVID-19 patients. Ventilators have been prepared for each of our hospitals and are being air freighted. In addition, vital supplies of masks, gowns, and eye protection will be sent. We are delighted that the team has been able to support the vital work of Samaritan’s Purse through the provision of other ventilators. This crisis has united healthcare providers and NGOs alike as we all strive to support the communities where we serve. It has also highlighted the multifaceted nature of our organization and has shone a light on members of our remarkable team who work behind the scenes. Their expertise and commitment is a huge blessing and we appreciate them more than ever.” – Dr. Rick Gardner, CURE Medical Director

CURE Niger

We have continued providing social services and nourishment to more than 25 patients and caregivers unable to travel home due to travel restrictions, and have been donating excess food from our garden to three local children’s centers feeding 152 kids.

Members of our spiritual team have begun sewing cloth masks for distribution to all staff and family members, and we have donated 1,300 medical masks to SIM-Galmi hospital and an additional 300 to Clinique Olivia in Niamey. We have also lent two oxygen concentrators to SIM-Galmi.

Most patients in the hospital were first made aware of COVID-19 from our staff. We spent time telling them what coronavirus is, how they can protect themselves from it, and how to limit it from spreading. Above all, we encourage them to understand that only God can stop this virus and protect us.

“When I was admitted to the patients’ guest house, I was accepted as I am. I felt loved and had everything I needed: a room, a bed, a mosquito net, and food. You really took care of me, and I am so grateful.” - Patient Guardian

CURE Philippines

Since we have canceled our elective procedures and clinics, we have free beds available. To help, we are temporarily housing some Southern Philippines Medical Center employees on our second-floor ward and are providing it free of charge. We have made 23 beds in 6 shared rooms available. We also have begun to take orthopedic patients from government hospitals to free up their space for COVID patients.

We help transport our essential personnel to keep them from exposure. Most importantly, we contact our patients to pray for them and see how we could help them in any way during this time of quarantine.

CURE Ethiopia

We called patients who have been in follow-up, and are praying for them to be encouraged during this time. Our staff is donating to a fund to help support people who are struggling during this time.

The hospital is running an awareness campaign to get the word out to people about best practices (hand washing, etc.) and dispelling myths about the virus, and donated a contactless thermometer to the local police so that they can screen their staff before going out into the community. We also ran a blood drive to help replenish the supply since blood donation is down.

CURE Kenya

We are setting up an isolation ward for use by any patient and staff who test positive for the virus and may not able to be accommodated at Kijabe Hospital. We are also collaborating with the local government to distribute PPE, teach on social distancing, teach the importance of hand and face washing, and sharing information to help the community members in detecting someone who needs COVID testing.

We are dropping off and picking up staff from their homes to avoid the risk of exposure to the virus while using public transport. We are also dropping off and picking up patients to easy access transport locations.

CURE Malawi

The hospital is providing masks to staff and educating patients on proper hygiene so that they can share this important information with their community when they return home.

The hospital did have an agreement with the College of Medicine to allow medical students to cut through the hospital grounds to get from the dorms to the government hospital. Unfortunately, we have had to close this off recently to minimize the number of people on CURE grounds.

CURE Uganda

We are caring for 10 patients from South Sudan that can not return home until the borders open, and we are transporting our staff to and from work to limit their exposure to the virus. Additionally, we are making masks out of scrubs and have donated some PPE gear, face shields, as well as a ventilator to Mbale Regional Hospital, which is set up to take in COVID patients.

CURE Zambia

Cloth masks were provided to each employee, volunteer, and medical staff member for use in public spaces, and are in the planning stages of making reusable masks at the CURE Zambia workshop to distribute to the surrounding community.

How can you help?

As our hospitals are sharing resources with their communities, you can help by sharing your resources.

Share your heart with a CUREkid in one of our hospitals right now. You can send an encouraging message to a child via our website and it will be read to that child at our hospitals.

Share your prosperity to help a child in need of healing by donating to CURE today. Your gift will be used to sustain our hospitals during this challenging time so that we can heal more children and proclaim the kingdom of God.