Zagreb, Croatia – 1/6/2020 – In March 2020, the International Organization for Cultural Diversity (ICDO) organized the Zagreb Earthquake COVID-19 Relief Fund for the most vulnerable affected by a series of catastrophic earthquakes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its contribution to this fund, ICDO donated Linet Eleganza medical bed to the pediatric department of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases ‘Dr. Fran Mihaljević’ in Zagreb, Croatia.
Early morning of 22nd of March 2020, the capital of Croatia, Zagreb was hit by a series of disastrous earthquakes, among which the biggest one was 5.5 on Richter scale and strongest one in the last 140 years. The whole city of Zagreb was paralyzed, and people were forced out of their homes to the open areas looking for safety during the cold and snowy weather. The whole situation was worsened by the COVID-19 outbreak that already affected the lives of all citizens in Croatia. In the peak of the pandemic, people were forced to gather in public areas and watch how their homes crumble before their eyes.
On Monday, June 1, 2020, ICDO President Josipa Palac, together with Toni Pehar, ICDO’s CFO, visited the pediatric department to deliver a medical bed with full medical equipment, a donation from the Earthquake/COVID-19 Zagreb-Relief Fund.
“The earthquakes that hit Zagreb in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, when people were supposed to be safe, affected me in a way that I knew we must find a way to help. The entire ICDO team, from various countries around the world and the region, worked hard to raise funds for the Relief Fund. I am happy that the response was great, people from all over the world and Europe (Mexico, Austria, Ukraine, England, France, Russia, etc.) were able to identify with the people of Zagreb in those difficult times and I thank them immensely. I am glad that this medical bed, with all its additional equipment, will be used by those who really need it-children in the hospital. “, said the president of the International Organization for Cultural Diversity (ICDO), Josipa Palac.
Josipa Palac and Toni Pehar met with the friendly staff of the pediatric department of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases Dr. Fran Mihaljević in Zagreb: Prof. Dr. Goran Tešović – Head of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. Ante Šokota and Mirjana Ćavar – Head Nurse of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
“I thank ICDO for this valuable donation on my own behalf, on behalf of my staff and patients who will be beneficiaries of this bed. Any help is welcome, so I thank everyone who participated in purchasing this medical bed. During the crisis, we helped colleagues who were fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, everything is behind us and we hope that there will be no recurring diseases.”, said Prof. Dr. Goran Tešović – Head of the Department for Children’s Infectious Diseases Dr. Fran Mihaljević in Zagreb.
Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Dr. Fran Mihaljević was a department for COVID-19 for months, and Monday, June 1 was a special, first working day after the coronavirus pandemic. “We are extremely happy today because we are returning our department its full glory and we are ready to welcome our children because chronic and immobile patients have been staying here for the past two months. We prepare the department all day, but we do it with a full heart and it doesn’t represent any difficulty for us.”, said Mirjana Ćavar, head nurse of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
“We thank you all for your trust in ICDO Team and for supporting such a noble cause, showing solidarity with people in Zagreb in those challenging times. Without all of you from around the globe, this would not be possible!”, said Josipa Palac, ICDO President.