- Grupo ISA, AES Colombia, and Enel companies in Colombia delivered four Intensive Care Units (ICU) for the hospital, under the coordination of ANDI’s Mesa Más La Guajira and ANDI Foundation.
- This investment, valued at USD 483 million, benefits the inhabitants of Maicao, Uribia, Manaure, and Albania, including the Wayuú community and the migrant population.
The business sector represented by ANDI’s Mesa Más La Guajira and the ANDI Foundation officially delivered four Intensive Care Units (ICU) and medical supplies for COVID-19 care to the San José de Maicao Hospital in La Guajira.
This contribution made by the ISA Group, AES Colombia, and Enel in Colombia, supported by the Superintendence of Health and the National Risk Management Unit, is part of the campaign #UnidosSomosMásPaís (Together we are more country) led by the ANDI Foundation. It was designed to coordinate actions for the mobilization of aid to address and mitigate the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of the Intensive Care Units to be supplied by the ISA Group, AES Colombia, and Enel are valued at COP 111 million each and are fully equipped with a vital-signs monitor, a mechanical ventilator, an intensive care hospital bed, a crash cart, a defibrillator, and portable x-ray equipment.
The San José de Maicao Hospital leads the northern sub-network of La Guajira, becoming the public health center available to the 200,000 inhabitants of Maicao, in addition to the 350,000 people from the municipalities of Uribia, Manaure, Albania, and the floating migrant population. For this reason, the contribution (valued at COP 483 million) will make it possible to provide care to support the needs resulting from COVID-19 and ensure the care of the population living in poverty.
“The business sector has used resources and expertise to alleviate the difficult situation that many Colombians are facing, especially regarding health. This is why the #UnidosSomosMásPaís campaign made this issue one of its priorities. The contribution of Grupo ISA, ENEL, and AES Colombia with these four ICUs and other medical supplies has a huge relevance, especially when once again this type of equipment and facilities are required for the care of the population”, Bruce Mac Master, ANDI’s CEO, said.
Furthermore, Giovany Salamanca, Director of the San José de Maicao Hospital, pointed out that “we are in a region with special cultural, economic, and social characteristics, in a border area, with quite limited control. This makes us a high-risk population within the COVID-19 context. This contribution would ensure care for a large portion of the target population, as well as for immigrants and vulnerable, uninsured population, who does not have access to private entities.”
The articulation of these companies was led by ANDI’s Mesa Más La Guajira, which is a work group of companies that operate in the department, and whose purpose is to manage the relationship between the private sector and this territory by working on joint regional social, environmental, and cultural initiatives that contribute to a true transformation of La Guajira, and at the same time, make the construction and operation of business investment projects possible.
“For AES Colombia, the fact of supporting the community of La Guajira with these Intensive Care Units, which are so necessary to preserve life, represents a sign of solidarity and our commitment to the territories where we are present. We seek to accelerate the future of energy with new wind projects for the country, while also generating development and well-being for the communities,” Federico Echavarría, AES Colombia’s CEO, said.
Lucio Rubio Díaz, ENEL’s CEO in Colombia, added that “with the delivery of these Intensive Care Units we are sure that we will contribute so that more people can face and overcome this difficult health situation. From Enel in Colombia, our commitment will continue to focus on working for the progress of the country, of the regions, and to continue reaching the Colombian regions with energy for life.”
“Grupo ISA has been in the territory for more than 30 years with its transmission lines and social management projects that have had a positive impact on the region. We firmly believe in the potential of La Guajira to change its reality. Therefore, we will continue to contribute not only to mitigate this pandemic crisis, but also to contribute to the generation of decent living conditions for the communities and to the construction of a peaceful country designed from the regions. At Grupo ISA we are convinced that we are all one and that the only way to move forward is to grow in solidarity, co-responsibility, and empathy,” Bernardo Vargas Gibsone, ISA Group’s CEO, said.
