Four refurbished ventilators were sent from Goulburn to Timor Leste to aid the community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The initiative is a part of Goulburn's Friendship Agreement with Quelicai in Timor Leste, an inland city of about 25,000 people.
Maggie and Darryl Patterson, the owners of the former St Jospeh's Orphanage, first suggested the Friendship Agreement.
They were appointed as the official envoys by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
"The country had an only ventilator and was facing difficulty in obtaining more due to the scarcity of the hospital equipment," Maggie Patterson said.
"The four refurbished ventilators were received by them last week. They are now ready if the second wave of COVID-19 hits and the situation escalates," she added.
So far, Timor Leste has had under 30 cases of COVID-19.
Contactless Infrared thermometers, PPE, and Oxymeters, which checks oxygen levels, were also sent along with the ventilators.
"In April, when COVID-19 was emerging as a global issue, for countries such as Timor Leste, accessing vital equipment like ventilators during a pandemic was difficult," she said.
"We received the message through Goulburn-Quelicai friendship network that Time Leste was looking to access ventilators but was having trouble because of the scarcity.
"So, we enquired with MedEarth if they had any ventilators they would be willing to share with Timor Leste.
"They had four ventilators which they were holding for NSW Health. They agreed to send those to Timor Leste after NSW Health said they didn't need them at that time."
The ventilators are worth $44,000 each.
MedEarth is an Australian environmental charity that helps recover used, quality hospital equipment which is then sent to developing nations.
"It's been a great outcome. Goulburn Mulwaree Council has been supportive all the way through," she said.
Shortly after the shipment was sent, a delegation from Canberra's Timo Leste community visited Goulburn Council to thank them.
Rotary's Medical Aide for Oceania and Worldwide helped with funding for shipping of ventilators and PPE, and sourcing infrared contactless thermometers and oximeters, Acme Case for free packaging and Panafreight for cost price freight.
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