Sending Medical Supplies Around the World

With over 6 million surplus and unused medicines and medical equipment in the United States, we at Catholic World Mission take great care ensuring that they are put to good use in places that are severely in need of these critical medicines and equipment around the world. Since 2004, we have had the incredible opportunity to ship hope in the form of medical supplies, disaster relief needs, and building materials. With your help we have continued this mission to provide international support for people who do not otherwise have the resources. We at Catholic World Mission and our family of supporters have been a champion for children who are dying from treatable and preventable diseases and illnesses. Diseases like typhoid, polio, and malaria are just a few of the ailments we assisted in finding cures thanks to shipments of medicines and medical supplies.

Shipping Globally

About Shipments to Ghana

Since 2009, you have supported our effort to ship medical relief to the Enchi Government Hospital in the Western Region of Ghana. It is considered a “115 bed hospital;” there were 80 adult beds, 13 pediatric beds, and an average of 20 pediatric patients on the floor; until we were able to help provide 25 new beds and cribs. The hospital had two operating tables, and thanks to your support we were able to provide anesthesia machines, which are now in use. The hospital won second place in the Regional Peer Review Mechanism Award in 2012, followed by first place in 2013 and 2014. The Enchi Government Hospital has worked hard to achieve this status, and thanks Catholic World Mission for their help in providing equipment to enable their health care providers to perform safely. This hospital has only one physician/surgeon, 13 nurses, 14 midwives, and 53 auxiliary staff. The hospital provides one of only two physicians in a four hour driving radius, serving residents of both Ghana and Ivory Coast; as well as patients from distances up to 500 miles, such as Burkina Faso and Mali.

Pediatric Patients

The most common reason for admission are ailments such as pneumonia, complicated malaria, anemia, and typhoid. The amount of space in the ward is limited; meaning only surgical and severely ill patients are admitted. Surgical cases can range from hernias, abscesses, and injuries, to tumors, and typhoid infections that have perforated the bowel.

Curious George dolls given to all the children at Enchi Govt Hospital in Ghana

A Curious George for a pediatric patient in Enchi Govt Hospital in Ghana

A Curious George doll for baby in Ghana Hospital

A Paraplegic’s New Life

Together with the Yonkofa Project, you helped to bring a Personal Energy Transporter (PET) from Colombia, Missouri to Ghana! This specific PET went to Michael; a paraplegic who has polio. When he first came to Catholic World Mission, Michael had slippers on his hands in order to use them to crawl forward, letting his limp legs drag behind; this was the only way he was able to get around. He Michael lives in a village called Kramokram in Ghana’s Western Region, however he was able to meet CWM at the hospital where we assembled the PET.

Michael was able to test drive the PET at the hospital, where we found that it works well on both paved areas and rough dirt. With his amazingly strong arms, Michael was able to transfer from the PET to the taxi passenger seat without assistance. We loaded it into the taxi, and he went home with a huge improvement to his quality of life.

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See photos from our shipments to Ghana here:

Shipping to Divine Word Hospital

Catholic World Mission donors shipped two containers of equipment and supplies to re-stock the Divine Word Hospital after Typhoon Haiyan. The items in the containers were collected by Sister Eloisa, who is in charge at the Divine Word Hospital. The items were then transported to Divine Word Hospital, and put to great use.

“We are grateful for Catholic World Mission’s assistance with replenishing important medicines and supplies!” – Sister Eloisa

Life-Saving Medical Supplies

With your generosity we have been able to send these life-saving medical supplies:

15 Hospital Beds
Respiratory Equipment
Tetanus Vaccines
Anti-Tetanus Toxoid
Anti-Biotics
Pain Medicines
Asthma Medicines

Lab Supplies
Hospital Room Furniture
Examination Room Furniture
Surgical Supplies
Wheel Chairs
Crutches
Bed Linens

Philippines Divine Word hospital,Items shipped to the Philippines

See photos of the shipments received:

Shipping to Honduras

A shipment of medical supplies from Catholic World Mission was accepted at the Customs office in San Pedro on September 3, 2015. The shipment contained clothing, medical supplies, and medication for 10 hospitals and healthcare centers in Honduras. These 10 organizations serve a population of 99,000 people! The hospitals and healthcare centers serve people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, and children daily, and have healthcare programs to serve HIV patients as well. They conduct free clinics in more rural areas that are without access to the resources necessary to make frequent hospital trips.

One of the largest hospitals is the Centro de Salud Dr. Jeronimo Sazo Alceroo San Jose in Santa Barbara; it serves 2,236 people a month! The hospital has benefitted tremendously from the shipments of medical supplies. By providing the healthcare the people so desperately need, the shipments also help strengthen the community. Centro de Salud is located in a region of low-income families who benefit the most from this kind of shipment. The hospital has a staff of only 24 people! Their dedication to the people of Santa Barbara, Honduras is unmatched. Altogether, the 10 hospitals and healthcare centers were so grateful to accept the 495 t-shirts, 3.89 tons of medical supplies, and especially the antidepressant medication to support the mental health of the suffering community.

See photos of the benefactors of the shipment below:

Shipping to Guatemala

In 2015 we shipped to Guatemala! This container of medical supplies benefited two organizations: the Fundacion Pediatrica de Guatemala and Clinicas Elim Chimaltenango. These organizations regularly offer free clinics, and therefore do not receive any payment in return. Both facilities rely solely on shipments from organizations like Catholic World Mission to serve the poor. Fundacion Pediatrica de Guatemala offers four free clinics in different regions of the country every year. Clinicas Elim Chimaltenango is able to offer a free clinic daily out of their center – seeing approximately 100 people every day! In addition to having doctors come in to do consulting to determine if patients need more care at a specialty center, they also offer eye and dental care. These professionals drive 32 miles away from the city of Guatemala to provide their services to the poor for free on a daily basis.

“One of the most important medicines given at the Chimaltenango clinic is beta blockers for the elderly who need this medication to survive. One of these beneficiaries is Juan Chimuc, who is 72 years-old. He is from a community that was devastated from the Guatemalan Civil War. For most of his life he was the picture of health, and never needed medication. We were surprised to hear at one of our free clinics he never needed medical attention before this. At the clinic we discovered Juan is diabetic, and suffers hypertension problems. We have been providing him with medication for the last four months, thanks to the generous support of Catholic World Mission. Juan told us that with the medication his life has changed dramatically and he feels so good. We recently saw him working with a big smile on his face. This would not be possible without you. Thank you very much.”

– Jorge Raúl Gramajo Ríos

Details of the Shipment

Asthma Medication
Respiratory Equipment
Medical Supplies
Heart Medication
Infant Medication & Supplies

Wound Dressing Kits
Antidepressants
Wheel Chairs
Diabetic Medication & Supplies
Walking Canes

See photos from the shipment below:

3 hospitals receive lifesaving medicines thanks to shipping to the
Dominican Republic

Thanks to your incredible generosity, three hospitals in Dominican Republic received $5,000,000 worth of medicines and medical supplies.

Recipients of medical shipments to Dominican Republic

Moscoso Puello Hospital

This public hospital in Santo Domingo saw over 70,000 patients last year alone. They provide lifesaving necessities to the poor free of charge, including pharmaceuticals. This is possible only because of the generosity of friends like you. When the hospital receives donations, they don’t have to charge their impoverished patients.

Good Samaritan Hospital

Located in La Romana, two hours from the capital, Good Samaritan Hospital uses the funds from its paying patients to provide for the poor patients from sugarcane fields.

We simply could not attend to so many people and provide free pharmaceuticals to so many people in the sugarcane fields without the continued generosity of the donors. For the hospital, these donations are pivotal in helping us to assist more than 90,000 patients every year.

-Moises Sifren, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Hospital

Executive Director of Good Samaritan Hospital

Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital

Opened in 1956, this hospital covers most of the pediatric specialties. They see over 25,000 patients every year. Donated pharmaceuticals are crucial to the hospital’s ability to provide treatment to patients whose families can’t afford medicines themselves.

From Shipping Container to Medical Clinic

Thanks to your generous support we have been able to stock 11 health clinics and hospitals in Ghana, Gambia, and the Philippines with medical supplies that has served 5,000 plus people! When supplies could not be directed to the intended hospital because of the COVID-19 lockdown volunteers did some out-of-the-box thinking and converted the shipping container into a clinic. This clinic will provide critical services and care to many who would simply not be cared for – thanks to your generosity!