THUNDER BAY -- A shipment of medical equipment no longer needed in Thunder Bay hospitals will soon be on its way to Central America.
Volunteers with Thunder Bay-based MEMO (Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunity) have assembled a container full of redundant equipment for hospitals and medical clinics serving the impoverished country of El Salvador.
The $12,000 in shipping costs are being covered by an anonymous donation from a Thunder Bay couple.
In the last 12 years, MEMO has sent more than 70 containers of medical gear and supplies—worth millions of dollars— to several countries including Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe.
Spokesperson Dr. Jerome Harvey says supplies have included everything from sophisticated mammography machines to diapers.
The latest shipment to El Salvador will be sent later this week.
According to MEMO, 43% of residents of that country receive no medical care, and the most common cause of death is gunshot wounds related to gang activity.
