Corporate and Financial
11.01.2006
Brunswick Corporate and Mercury Marine Make the Gift of Hope and Health
Brunswick Corporation and Mercury Marine donated five twin-engine ambulance vessels to the Government of the Maldives. Donated through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the boats have been provided to hospitals in five atolls throughout the country. The vessels will be used as part of an outreach service whereby doctors travel to regional islands that have only limited medical facilities to conduct day clinics, as well as medical emergencies to transfer patients to the nearest hospital capable of providing the necessary medical attention.
The boats were officially handed over to the government at a ceremony in July 2006 by Mr. Edwin Lim, General Manager of Brunswick's Asia Operations, who flew to Male' from Singapore for the event. Dr. Abdul Azeez Yoosuf, Deputy Minister of Health, gratefully accepted the gift on behalf of the government.
Speaking at the ceremony, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Patrice Coeur- Bizot said, “It is heartening to see the response of the international private sector to the devastation caused by the tsunami, and the helping hand it has extended to this country. The generosity of the Brunswick Corporation — which expressed its desire to support the Maldives immediately following the tsunami — is an exceptional example.”
In his remarks to an audience of government, UNDP, and media representatives, Mr. Lim said, “We were incredibly moved by the images of the devastation in the tsunami-affected countries and felt that we had to play our part. These boats are a gift from the heart, and we are sure that they will be of immense value to the communities that receive them.”
The Brunswick delegation had earlier visited Felidhoo Island, located about 79 kilometers south of the capital, which was identified as one of the recipients of the hospital boats. As part of the government's efforts to strengthen medical services around the country, a small regional hospital is being built on Felidhoo, which will serve the population of 2,000 from the five inhabited islands in Vaavu Atoll. The Brunswick boat will enable doctors and nurses from Felidhoo to visit these neighbouring islands and to bring residents back to the hospital for regular medical checkups and treatment.
With a population spread over 199 islands, access to adequate health care facilities is a financial and logistical challenge for many smaller island communities. The Brunswick boats will play an important role in providing services to these communities, and will undoubtedly help improve — and even save — many lives in the years to come.
Adapted from the United Nations Development Programme Adopt-An-Island Newsletter
