Ontario Power Generation is providing $60,000 to help three hospital foundations in Bruce County buy critical medical equipment.
The funding through OPG’s Corporate Citizenship Program will go to hospital foundations in Kincardine, Southampton and Walkerton
Kincardine Community and Health Care Foundation will use $20,000 to help buy a CT scanner to produce detailed images of soft tissues. Work is almost completed on construction of the building on the east side of the hospital to house the new scanner
Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation will receive another $15,000 which will fund a new portable digital X-ray machine. That's in addition to OPG’s $5,000 support in the spring of 2020 for an echocardiography ultrasound machine
Walkerton & District Hospital Foundation is receiving $20,000 to help purchase a new anesthetic machine for the operating room for elective general surgery, endoscopy and support to the birthing centre. The machine controls the mixing of medical gases and monitors patients’ breathing.
“In this challenging year, when hospitals are under additional stress due to the pandemic, OPG is pleased to be able to provide additional support to front-line health care in our local communities,” said Lise Morton, Vice President of OPG’s Nuclear Waste Management division, which operates the Western Waste Management Facility at the Bruce nuclear site.
The foundations expressed their appreciation for OPG’s donations, particularly since the pandemic has curtailed some annual fundraising events. “This is truly a very different year for fundraising and health care and we are grateful for your support,” said Tracy Murphy, Executive Director of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.
A media release from OPG reported through the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, OPG has donated more than 1.1 million items of Personal Protection Equipment for front-line health care workers, including 1 million surgical masks, 75,000 N95 masks, 17,500 Tyvek protective suits, 9,000 cloth masks, 10 respirators and 22,000 face shields (built in partnership with others). OPG has also donated more than $1 million to individual communities and groups supporting food programs for vulnerable residents.
OPG supports Walkerton Hospital Foundation