Steamships Property kick-starts OOH

National, Normal
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By BOSORINA ROBBY

THE annual Operation Open Heart (OOH) programme, scheduled for July, last Friday received a financial boost to kick-start its fundraising drive.
The Sir Buri Kidu Heart Foundation received a K10,000 donation from Steamships Property.
The foundation’s medical registrar Dr Guboro Urae said screening of patients with heart defects were now being conducted for the surgeries to be performed by a voluntary Australian specialist team.
“The foundation relies heavily on donor funds to sustain its services to the needy and sick.
“We help provide heart patients with treatment and the monies were also used to maintain and buy equipment needed to help doctors in their work,” Dr Urae said.
“From the screening process, patients are selected to undergo open or closed heart surgeries during the OOH programme to correct their defects.”
Steamships Property general manager Noel Richards, who presented the cheque to Dr Urae, said the programme was very important and needed constant support.
“We have been donating to the foundation for about four years. This is the first year and we are increasing the amount by K5,000.
“With the increasing costs of medication, the increase should significantly provide for new and much-needed medical equipment,” Mr Richards said.
To help prepare for the OOH, the Port Moresby General Hospital blood bank is also calling for donors.
“We need to stock up on all the different blood groups that may be required for the surgeries,” a spokesperson said.