Mater donates much-needed medical equipment to Uganda
- Release Date: 21/09/2010
- For media enquiries please contact 07 3163 1524 or the afterhours on call media officer on 07 3163 8111.
A donation of medical equipment from Mater Health Services and football merchandise from Brisbane Roar has
helped improve the health and quality of life for the people in Uganda.
As part of the Sisters of Mercy mission to help the sick and needy, Mater regularly organises shipping containers
filled with medical equipment and supplies to be sent to Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Kenya and Laos.
The latest shipment, which reached Uganda in July, included hospital beds, portable X-ray machines (donated by
QLD X-ray group), infusion pumps, ECG machines, ventilators, defibrillators, physiotherapy equipment and 160
cartons of medical reference books from health libraries around Australia.
Brisbane Roar donated back-packs and soccer balls for local school and, along with clubs from the Queensland
Churches Soccer Association, hundreds of soccer jerseys for a 10-team soccer competition which has started in a
poor area of Entebbe.
Brisbane Roar Chief Executive Officer Peter McLennan said the club was proud to support such a worthy cause.
“The football community is a global community and we were extremely happy to be involved with the Mater Health
Services project in Uganda,” Mr McLennan said.
“The work Mater Health Services does by helping the needy is tremendous and we’re very proud to be associated
with them on this project.
“We hope our small contribution has helped to enrich the lives of these people in need through football and that we
have given them the opportunity to escape the difficult circumstances in which they find themselves, even if it is for
90 minutes a week.”
Mater Health Services’ Biomedical Engineering Manager Graham Carter who was part of the mission, said medical
equipment and supplies which are no longer needed were channelled to areas where they could make a difference.
“We endeavour to build continuity into the mission by returning and supporting the same projects year after year,” Mr
Carter said.
“As well as medical products, we try and include general humanitarian aid items for charities and missions working
in needy areas including educational supplies, nappies and baby clothes for three orphanages and mosquito nets.”
Since 2005, DHL Shipping have covered the cost of sending two containers to Papua New Guinea, four to Uganda,
two to Kenya and one to Laos.