Samaritan's Purse airlifts field hospital to Bahamas

Christian relief agency adding critical COVID-19 capacity as cases continue to rise

CALGARY, AB, Oct. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - At the request of the Bahamian prime minister, Samaritan's Purse has deployed an emergency field hospital to Nassau after an increase in COVID-19 cases overwhelmed the local healthcare system.

With more than 2,000 cases across the islands, hospitals have been inundated with patients suffering from the coronavirus. Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau is full, and it has shut down medical transfers from neighboring islands. Samaritan's Purse is coming alongside Bahamian healthcare workers, providing support as they fight the COVID-19 virus. 

Today, the international Christian relief organization airlifted more than 14 tons of critical relief supplies—including the 28-bed field hospital and personal protective equipment—on its DC-8 aircraft.

The cargo plane also transported a team of Samaritan's Purse doctors, nurses and key staff members, including several Canadians. In addition to providing added capacity, these personnel will partner with Nassau's Princess Margaret Hospital and the Bahamian Ministry of Health to provide infection prevention and control trainings for healthcare workers, many of whom have been infected by the virus.  

"Hospital staff are overwhelmed and exhausted as the number of coronavirus patients in the Bahamas reaches an all-time high," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "Our teams respond to the hard places in Jesus' Name; this is the right place to go to make a difference in the lives of hurting families." 

The response comes six months after Samaritan's Purse simultaneously deployed emergency field hospitals to New York City and Cremona, Italy to treat COVID-19 in the epicenters of the virus at that time. Medical staff cared for more than 600 patients at the nearly identical 68-bed respiratory care units, while reminding them that they were not alone or forgotten.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

• Interview Ian Stokes, international disaster response manager
  (istokes@samaritan.ca, 403-690-6553)
• High-quality photos of the DC-8 being loaded
• High-quality photos and b-roll of the emergency field hospital around the world

About Samaritan's Purse Canada

Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization that takes its name from Jesus Christ's biblical story of the Good Samaritan. Like that Good Samaritan, who found a beaten man and helped restore him, we aid victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine, and persecution. Our other initiatives include providing safe water, literacy skills, vocational training and more for people in the developing world. Learn more at SamaritansPurse.ca.

SOURCE Samaritan's Purse Canada