Koror, Palau, November 21, 2022 —Rotary Club of Palau and Rotary Club of Asaka joined Minister of Health and the Belau National Hospital (BNH) Dental Care Team to transfer over the installation of a critically needed x-ray wall in the Dental x-ray room at BNH.
All proceeds of the collaboration between the Ministry and the Rotary Clubs facilitated the design, construction, installation and three engineers from Japan
“It took almost two years with COVID-19 to get the materials to Palau but the three engineers from Tsubasa Construction flew in on a Friday and finished the install in time for a nice dinner Sunday before they flew back home”, said Yoko Morisaki, Rotary’s Assistant District Governor who is a Palau Club member and manager at Tori Tori. As a parting gift to the Dental Clinic the Tsubasa engineers left all of their installation tools (drills etc.).
This hand over was very long in coming starting in 2019 when staff at Oral Health (Ms. Janice Mathew and Dr. Nakano) raised concerns about the dental X-Ray room. Dr. Nakano a dentist at the clinic ran X-Ray film testing around the oral health facility, the result: a critical need to prioritize protecting those space around the X-ray room and the staff who are exposed in surrounding offices.
In 2020, then Rotary President Thomas Schubert, of Palau Shop, learned about this and reached out to the Rotary Club of Asaka and its President Shigeru Ohata who supported the Rotary International Global Grant request. Current club President Jennifer Gibbons said “helping connect the dots – people to resources – to fill gaps is what Rotary does best. It can only be done with people of action like those in the Dental Clinic raising the concern and a willingness to act on seemingly small projects that together are high impact.”
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org.