Medical Aid Caravan Bound For Nicaragua

Medical aid groups throughout the midwest are gearing up to ship equipment and supplies to the people of Nicaragua through the Ministry of Health (MINSA). A similar effort last spring was extremely successful: over $200,000 worth of supplies were sent to Managua and distributed to hospitals, clinics and health outposts in various locations around the country. A caravan of vehicles containing medical material collected by concerned citizens in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota will converge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 15. The material will be loaded into an 8' x 8' x 40' container and shipped by rail from New Holstein, Wisconsin to a U.S. seaport. The container will arrive in Nicaragua approximately six weeks later.

The CARAVAN is a project of the Midwest Region of the National Central America Health Rights Network (NCAHRN) a coalition of Central America medical aid groups. Local arrangements in Milwaukee are handled by the Ecumenical Refugee Council. The CARAVAN's purpose is to supply essential material aid to Nicaragua and to provide a focus for protest of U.S. administration policy in Central America.

Since 1983, NCAHRN has sent delegations of health workers to Nicaragua to document the health effects of the "contra" war. Their findings have exposed the contras' violations of both human rights and medical neutrality. In the cover articles of its February 13, 1987 issue, The American Medical News (the newspaper of the American Medical Association) has reported these findings and written about the medical solidary work of U.S. health workers. An abbreviated report of these findings has received coverage major national news-papers. A final report of these findings was published in March and will be distributed to all members of Congress.

To donate medical equipment, medicines, educational materials or material aid such as bedding call Sue Reinhart at 769-0316 or Dr. Andrew Zweifler at 663-6576 by May 7. Money is needed for shipping costs and may also be designated for purchase of medication at 3% of cost (essentially a handling charge). Checks may be made out to NMAP or NMAP/Capp Street Foundation for tax purposes.