P67-M donation for disaster-resistant hospital building

A donation amounting to 1.1 million euros or about P67 million from French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, probably the largest given by a single private company to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” will be used for the construction of a disaster-resistant public hospital.

The donation seeks to repair and refurbish an already damaged public hospital. If there is no candidate, a new one will be constructed in a new location within Tacloban City in Leyte.

Lawyer Darwin Mariano, Sanofi in the Philippines public affairs and communications director, said: “The initial response of the company was, of course, to donate essential medicines and vaccines in the affected areas, which we are already doing. However, relief activities will not be enough. We have to help in the reestablishment of systems that help the people.”

“While others focus on housing and livelihood, we would like to concentrate our effort in helping rebuild the healthcare system in devastated areas, Mariano added. “We need to help rebuild hospitals or health centers because these facilities are critical in the delivery of postdisaster healthcare.”

As part of the campaign “Solidarity with the Philippines,” Sanofi, through the Sanofi Espoir Foundation, will be coordinating with the Philippine Red Cross, the Department of Health and the local authorities to see how the donation will be best utilized.

Alternative

Should there be no safe location within Tacloban City, Mariano said Ormoc City could be an alternative.

Mariano explained: “The immediate aftermath of  Yolanda has demonstrated that healthcare facilities are not exempt from the devastation of a disaster. We also realized why healthcare facilities must be ready to tackle anything that comes their way. In times of disaster—natural or technological—they must remain open, operational, and continue carrying out their functions.”

This is why the structure that the donation will repair and rehabilitate or, if there is no choice, build from ground up, must be able to withstand strong winds and earthquake and should be located away from places where storm surges as well as tsunami and landslide are most likely to hit.

“The price to pay for the failure of a public hospital when disaster happens is too high in comparison to the cost of making it safe and resilient,” Mariano said.

He clarified that the donation, though substantial, will still not be enough to finish and furnish a public hospital. “However, it would be more than enough to jumpstart the project and enjoin others to help complete this project.

Medicine donation

Aside from the 1.1 million euros, Sanofi has already raised 100,000 euros (P6 million) for the Médecins du Monde to help in emergency health response activities. Also, six batches of medicines have already been donated to the “First-aid Workers Without Borders” through Tulipe, the French organization that consolidates donations made by Sanofi and other health companies.

The Sanofi group in the Philippines has also donated an initial batch of medicines and vaccines worth P7 million to the PHAP Cares Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the local industry association, the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.

Mariano said: “An internal campaign for relief goods and cash donation was also launched by the employee volunteer group of Sanofi in the Philippines, the Blue Hands Volunteer Group. Sanofi employees who were affected by the calamity have also been relocated to safer areas until they are able to return home. They have also been given emergency funds and other assistance to help them better cope with the tragedy.”