(PRESS RELEASE) Gildan, a leading apparel manufacturer, is pleased to share that it has donated advanced surgical equipment, valued at over U.S. $230,000, to the newly renovated pediatric operating room at the Mario Catarino Rivas regional hospital (HMCR) today, supporting children in northern and western Honduras who have been awaiting surgery. This donation contributes to making healthcare more accessible to children and communities in Honduras.
Gildan committed to this in-kind investment in collaboration with the Honduran Pediatric Association, Valle de Sula Chapter (APHCVS), who identified the urgent need for surgeries among hundreds of Honduran children. The donated equipment will benefit children requiring surgery, and within its first six months of use, is expected to help reduce Catarino Rivas hospital’s backlog of operations by 50%.
With the new equipment in place, the pediatric operating room is now equipped to treat infants weighing less than one pound, as well as children of any age in need of surgery, including those requiring highly complex, precise, or delicate procedures across various pediatric specialties such as urology, pulmonology, otolaryngology, and endoscopy.
The equipment donated includes:
- An anesthesia machine featuring highly specialized computerized systems designed to deliver oxygen, anesthesia, and other gases safely, tailored to the child’s age, weight, and height. The machine includes a carbon dioxide detector to monitor intubation, a gas delivery mechanism that effectively ventilates the patient similar to what is done in an intensive care unit; a neuromuscular relationship monitor to facilitate precise medication; and a sedation level monitor to indicate the depth of anesthesia, thus safeguarding the patient’s brain. These features assist surgeons in making informed decisions during surgery, contributing to successful outcomes.
- A pediatric stretcher designed with flexibility and articulation to accommodate children of any age comfortably, correctly, and safely during surgical interventions.
- A Holmium laser utilizing minimally invasive light energy, enabling surgeons to perform more precise and delicate surgeries without causing thermal damage to nearby tissues. This technology ensures more accurate surgeries with fewer postoperative complications.
“Gildan is committed to supporting the health and well-being of Honduran children,” says Claudia Sandoval, Vice-President, Global Social Compliance and Environmental Affairs at Gildan. “Thanks to this donation, more families, especially from the regions of Cortés, Comayagua, Copán, Lempira, Colón, Atlántida, Santa Bárbara, Ocotepeque, and Intibucá, have access to the appropriate pediatric surgical infrastructure that they urgently need.”
“This donation constitutes an important contribution to child medical care in Honduras,” says Dr. Maynor Mata, President of APHCVS. “If performed in private hospitals, these surgeries could cost patients from U.S. $2,000 to U.S. $12,000. Now at Catarino Rivas, these operations are offered free of charge. Moreover, we look forward to using the new equipment to train the next generation of doctors in anesthesia and pediatric surgery, strengthening our healthcare system and securing the well-being of our future generations.”