US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI232

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000232 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USAID 
 
NARIROBI PASS TO REDSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, SOCI, DJ 
SUBJECT: U.S. NGO DONATES CARDIAC MONITORING SYSTEM TO 
DJIBOUTI CENTRAL HOSPITAL 
 
 1. (U) Assist International, a United States 
non-governmental organization (NGO), has partnered with a 
local NGO, International Aid Services, to provide a USD 
250,000 reconditioned, full perimeter cardiac monitoring 
system with central station to Peltier Hospital in Djibouti. 
Peltier, a 450-bed hospital, is the largest hospital in 
Djibouti and serves as the referral hospital for the 
country's four district hospitals and 21 clinics. 
 
2. (U) Ambassador and Minister of Health Ali Kamil 
inaugurated on February 23 the center at Peltier in which the 
equipment is located, along with Acting Foreign Minister and 
Minister of Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, Assist International's President 
Robert Paget, USAID Director, and members of the Peltier 
staff.  A corner of the hospital was renovated to receive the 
eight full-perimeter Merlin Philips/HP color cardiac 
monitors.  They will measure invasive and non-invasive blood 
pressure, oxygen and temperature of patients.  Assist 
International brought in a team of eight persons to supervise 
device installation and the training of doctors and other 
technicians at the hospital in operation and use of the 
monitoring system.  The system increases the essential 
capacity of Peltier to treat critically ill patients. 
 
3. (U) Assist International's gift to Peltier complements the 
USD 12 million USAID essential health services improvement 
project, which is focused mainly in the rural areas and on 
maternal and child health, rehabilitation of rural clinics, 
and support to district hospitals.  The U.S. program also 
aims to improve the quality of health services in Djibouti 
through training and supervision of health service providers 
and by ensuring community participation in health 
administration. 
 
4. (U) According to Assist's president, Paget, Assist 
International, based in Scotts Valley, California, has 
completed over 50 humanitarian projects in 30 countries 
around the world, including in Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia, 
Zanzibar and Tanzania in Africa. 
RAGSDALE