Private sector support welcomed - Royal Gazette

Paul Johnston

Published Apr 26, 2020 at 9:57 am (Updated Apr 26, 2020 at 9:57 am)

Hand off: Gareath Adderley, the Commissioner of St John Ambulance Bermuda, left, hands supplies to Henry Dowling, the president of the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association (Photograph by Peter Aldrich)

The head of the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association has thanked the private sector for its support during the Covid-19 crisis.

Henry Dowling, the president of the BMDA, noted that the sector had helped out when the Government and the Bermuda Hospitals Board experienced trouble sourcing and supplying personal protective equipment to doctors, dentists and healthcare workers.

He added: “It was the private sector who stepped up and provided the finances necessary to allow us to take care of the people of Bermuda.”

Dr Dowling said that there had been “institutional delays that threatened to postpone our ability to quickly source what was needed” while the BMDA was working under the leadership of the BHB.

He added: “We asked that the essential PPE procurement be managed by the private sector group, and a small and passionate team broke ranks and worked against the odds to order and negotiate the secure arrival of two shipments at a time when other countries, and our own Government, were being blocked by US Customs.

“The steps they had to go through is the stuff that James Bond movies are made of.

“We have them and the US Consulate to thank for making sure that the goods got through.”

Dr Dowling said the two shipments of equipment had been distributed across the island “before the BHB’s order had left China”.

He added that more than $1 million had been raised by the private sector and that $250,000 had been earmarked towards community care.

Dr Dowling highlighted those who had chipped in including Bermuda-based local and international insures and reinsurers, international business leaders, and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, as well as healthcare organisation including the Bermuda Dental Association, Bermuda Chiropractic Association, and the BMDA.

The privately-sourced PPE has been delivered by a six-strong team of volunteers from St John Ambulance Bermuda.

The team has also transported patients to Covid-19 test facilities and quarantine facilities, as needed.

Dr Dowling said that the BMDA had “high praise” for Gareath Adderley, the Commissioner of St John Ambulance Bermuda, Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Borges, and their team for the “fantastic job all the members of St John Ambulance and their board have done to keep Bermuda’s community protected”.

Mr Adderley said the organisation had delivered 3D-printed face shields made by local high schools. distributed surgical masks to doctors, and were now distributing KN95 masks to doctor and dentist offices under the direction of the BMDA.

He added that the volunteer team had been “well protected” from the virus from the outset.

Mr Adderley said: “We’re very grateful as the health department has provided us the appropriate PPE as needed for the work we are doing.”

The St John Ambulance team has also provided an ambulance and crew every night for vulnerable people being held at the Government shelter at CedarBridge Academy, in Prospect.

Mr Adderley said: “We’re taking the temperatures of all the Government shelter residents, security, staff and our own team daily and we’re there for any other medical needs.”

The Government has provided a grant to St John Ambulance for its services.

But Mr Adderley said that the charity had lost three months of revenue.

He added: “We’re 100 per cent volunteer and normally when we attend a duty we receive a donation to cover our operating expenses.

“While we’re very grateful for the Government grant for transporting patients and for our daily CedarBridge duties, we are in need of donations now more than ever.”

Information on how to donate can be found on the charity’s website at http://sjabermuda.org/donate.

Mr Adderley said that his team was had done “a great job in these difficult times”.

He added: “Our work will continue for as long as the need is there.

“We have the masks on and we’re still smiling behind them.”

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