Our Pandemic Plan
Dear Friends,
While the novel coronavirus has caused many hardships here at home, it has brought catastrophic conditions to our brothers and sisters in Latin America.
Our partners in both Bolivia and Paraguay are impacted by COVID-19, but Bolivia is among the 10 most affected countries in the world. Tragically, most hospitals are considered ‘collapsed’ by the surging demand for services and supplies. Doctors are experiencing heartbreaking scarcities of PPE and testing supplies, contracting the virus themselves at alarming rates. And patients are dying from a lack of resources, especially for ventilators and intensive care.
Steeped in Gospel values and utterly reliant on God’s providential guidance, Solidarity Bridge has been addressing healthcare inequities for more than 20 years. Thanks to the deep partnerships we’ve formed in South America and the committed support we receive from our US community, we are well-positioned to respond to the heightened needs of today’s crisis—and we feel called to do so as faithfully and ambitiously as possible. As this crisis continues to unfold, we have challenged ourselves to meet the following goals in the coming months:
Deliver six emergency supply shipments and distribute to 30 hospitals, including PPE, intensive care supplies and more, valued at over $1M.
Double our designated fund for patients who are most economically vulnerable, bringing our direct financial support for patients to more than $190,000 this year.
Provide $40,000 in crisis funding to ensure that our warehouse meets local supply needs and social workers remain available to help patients navigate new barriers to care.
Facilitate virtual exchanges between doctors in the US and South America to foster relationships of solidarity while sharing best practices related to the coronavirus.
Advocate for the neglected surgical patient at the global level through our leadership in the G4 Alliance’s Working Group on Latin America and the Caribbean.
Our mission—to increase access to surgery and essential healthcare— is more vital than ever. The commitments outlined above are only our first steps in what will surely be a long road forward, ensuring that the recovery from this global crisis prioritizes those who have the fewest resources.. On behalf of our partners and patients in South America, I extend my deepest gratitude for your continued support. As always, we welcome your questions and feedback. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of our staff directly.
Sincerely,
Ann Rhomberg
Executive Director
Be Part of the Response
The goals above are ambitious and we will need the support of everyone in our US community to make them possible. Please give what you can today and be part of our life-saving response.