Area Clubs Select New International Project
Posted on Jun 13, 2016
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Rotary Clubs in southern Alameda County have joined forces to implement our latest international service project. We will be partnering with the Rotary Club of Castro Valley and the East African Medical Relief Foundation over the next two years to purchase an oxygen generator to be installed and maintained at Nejo Hospital in the rural Oromia region of Ethiopia. The oxygen generator will supply 6 smaller hospitals in the area and is key to treating over 8,600 patients with respiratory diseases and other acute and chronic ailments.
A reliable supply of oxygen is essential to treat asthma, pneumonia and other upper respiratory diseases common to the area. Currently, the only source of oxygen is to purchase a limited supply of expensive oxygen tanks which need to be transported from Addis Abab, a 12 hour drive from the hospitals in and around Nejo. As a result, doctors have to regularly make life saving decisions about who receives oxygen and who does not. This project will purchase and install the oxygen generator along with necessary training, maintenance and an education program for those in need. Once installed, the oxygen generator will be used to supply oxygen to 6 area hospitals. In addition to our local contributions, this project has been approved for a Rotary International matching grant.