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News | Sept. 9, 2020

DLA provides mobile hospitals to SOUTHCOM nations for COVID-19 response

By Christian Deluca DLA Troop Support Public Affairs

The Defense Logistics Agency is providing 24 mobile hospitals to the U.S. Southern Command for distribution to 11 countries in its region in support of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Each field hospital has about 40 beds and is equipped with generators, air conditioning and working space for medical staff. Provided by DLA Troop Support’s Construction and Equipment supply chain through the Humanitarian Assistance Program, the hospitals will be used to support community health-care systems experiencing high volumes of confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to a SOUTHCOM press release.

C&E awarded the contract for the mobile hospitals June 6 through its commercial tent program, and the first three hospitals were donated Aug. 21 from SOUTHCOM to Costa Rica. Close coordination with the manufacturer, customers and the U.S. Transportation Command enabled C&E to rush production and delivery nearly 160 days ahead of schedule, said John Cuorato, chief of C&E’s integrated supply team.

“These shelters and the equipment associated with them are not stocked. They are made to order, and due to the manufacturer’s multi-location production capabilities, the items are located across the United States,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day said the humanitarian support reinforces the bond between the United States and Costa Rica.

“In times like these, we can only overcome the difficulties we face together as neighbors, communities and governments. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Costa Rica during these unprecedented times,” she said during the official donation ceremony.

Additional mobile hospitals will be sent to Jamaica, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, El Salvador, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Panama, Guatemala and Uruguay.

Cuorato said his team is proud to support international efforts and will continue working to deliver the rest of the mobile hospitals as quickly as possible.

“We are performing similar expedited movements, as we did with Costa Rica, for many of the other mobile hospital requirements,” he said. “We are proud to assist our allies with combating COVID-19 as it ravages many countries in the SOUTHCOM [area of operations].”