Dole Food Company Inc has inaugurated a mobile medical unit, which now offers some rural communities on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Costa Rica access to preventive medicine and specialized health attention.
This mobile medical unit consists of a container divided into three fully equipped medical rooms that provide patients with a range of medical services. These include general medicine, gastroscopy, ultrasound scan, ophthalmology, pediatrics, blood donation, osteoporosis analysis, vaccination campaigns, and laboratory exams. The unit was donated to the Lions Club of Costa Rica, which is now responsible—with Dole’s support—for managing the unit, coordinating the medical staff’s planning, and organizing health campaigns.
“Even though Costa Rica’s social security system is well-developed and has local clinics in most of the communities of the Atlantic zone, this mobile medical unit will be an additional tool to bring specialized medical services to remote areas, services that are mainly provided in urban areas. We expect this new unit to treat over 10,000 people per year,” said Danilo Román, general manager, Standard Fruit de Costa Rica.
This unit was co-funded by Dole and Spar, an Austrian supermarket chain, through an extra contribution made by consumers during a campaign run in Austria between February and May 2009.
“After the school was built in Ecuador in 2008 together with a Norwegian customer, this joint initiative with Spar further demonstrates the common interest of Dole and its customers in supporting the communities living in production areas. Dole will continue to develop similar partnerships whether in the social or environmental area,” said Sylvain Cuperlier, vice-president/director of worldwide corporate social responsibility for Dole.
Access www.dole.com for further information.
