The U.S. Government invested $1.6 million in the renovation of the Shushufindi Hospital in Sucumbíos

Lawrence Petroni, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission in Ecuador; Colonel Gerard "Wayne" Surrett, Command Surgeon General of the U.S. Department of Defense Southern Command, along with Ecuadorian authorities and hospital staff at the ceremony.

This investment facilitated the renovation of the electrical system and the replacement of the hospital’s air conditioning system. 

Quito, October 3, 2023.  The U.S. Government, in conjunction with Ecuadorian authorities, celebrated the completion of the renovation of the electrical system and the replacement of the air conditioning system at the Shushufindi Basic Hospital in Sucumbíos. The U.S. government invested $1.6 million in the project.  

This work was carried out through the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate as part of the humanitarian assistance projects provided by the Department of Defense to partner countries. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implemented the new system, which will help increase electrical capacity by 20%. This work will also allow the hospital to incorporate essential modern X-ray equipment, make future expansions and provide a stable climate for the operating rooms and post-operative care of the province’s patients. 

During the inauguration of the project, Lawrence Petroni, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission in Ecuador, and Lorena Cajas, Mayor of Shushufindi, signed a certificate commemorating the completion of the project. Also present at the ceremony were Colonel “Wayne” Gerard Surrett, Command Surgeon General of the U.S. Department of Defense Southern Command; Geovana Pozo, Governor of Sucumbíos and Dr. Hilda López Giler, District Health Director of Shushufindi.  

“This investment will increase Shushufindi’s public health capacity. Our humanitarian assistance program aims to support friendly countries so that they can provide better health services to their people,” said the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission.  

The project in Sucumbios is another example of the different ways in which the U.S. Military, in collaboration with the military and various sectors of Ecuadorian society, supports the Ecuadorian people with donation programs, training and professional exchanges, among others.   

The United States and Ecuador share the goal of improving public health and infrastructure, thus contributing to the well-being of their populations.     

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