Medical Equipment Donated to Haiti Disaster Relief

Immediately following the January 12, 2010, earthquake, Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) mobilized to provide disaster relief assistance to the citizens of Haiti. The Healthcare Sector of Siemens AG has shipped healthcare systems and supplies through Project HOPE (Millwood, VA, USA) to aid healthcare workers in their efforts to help the victims.

Siemens Healthcare has donated 20 Acuson P10 ultrasound systems. These handheld systems are well suited for the urgent medical needs in Haiti as they were designed for triage and emergency situations and provide physicians and emergency personnel with earlier, faster, and more accurate clinical assessment in seconds. The system provides Focused Abdominal Sonography for Trauma (FAST) protocols, which can identify free fluid from organ ruptures due to blunt trauma and identify foreign objects lodged inside the body. The unit runs on battery power, and will scan continuously for one hour with one charge. An average scan in disaster type conditions only takes minutes. Because of its pocket-sized design and lightweight of only 0.73 kg, the Acuson P10 system is especially useful in the cramped and difficult working conditions in Haiti.

Siemens donated 10 RAPIDPoint 350 blood gas analyzers to Project HOPE. These systems can be used to provide critical care blood gas and blood electrolyte-test results within minutes in a field hospital setting. With these blood gas analyzers, Siemens provided sufficient test systems and supplies to perform 90,000 tests and worked with their partner, Smiths Medical (London, UK), who also donated sterile blood sample syringes necessary to perform the tests.

Moreover, Siemens donated enough Multistix 10 SG urinalysis strips to perform 90,000 urine tests. These test strips assist rapid diagnosis in kidney function, urinary tract infections, carbohydrate metabolism, and liver function.

The Siemens technical team will be available by telephone to support Project HOPE as needed in the set up and operation of the systems.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology, and hearing aids.

Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health problems with the mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS HOPE, the world's first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now provides medical training and health education, as well as conducts humanitarian assistance programs in more than 35 countries.

Related Links:
Siemens Healthcare
Project HOPE