On October 31, a formal partnership signing ceremony was held between representatives of Suriname-based non-profit foundation Su Aid and the leadership of ‘s Lands Hospitaal, the country’s leading public tertiary care facility, marking the official public launch of a targeted 2024 fundraising drive. The signed agreement, witnessed by local media outlet Sunweb TV, formalizes Su Aid’s commitment to mobilize more than SRD 9 million (equivalent to roughly US$243,000, adjusted for fluctuating local currency exchange rates) by the end of the year to procure life-saving medical devices for the hospital’s specialized pediatric and newborn care departments.
The critical equipment earmarked for purchase includes high-priority patient monitoring systems and pediatric-grade respiratory support ventilators that the hospital has identified as urgent unmet needs, which it cannot fund using its existing operational budget. Hospital administrators note that while ‘s Lands Hospitaal has made steady, meaningful progress in recent years upgrading its pediatric care standards and expanding access to specialized child health services, gaps in core medical hardware continue to limit the quality and scope of care it can deliver to vulnerable young patients.
The total funding target breaks down to US$187,000 allocated specifically for upgrades to the hospital’s Neonatal High Care Unit, and the remaining US$56,000 dedicated to expanding resources for its outpatient pediatric clinic. Both Su Aid and hospital leadership acknowledge that raising the full sum presents a significant operational challenge, but they draw encouragement from a long track record of widespread public support for the foundation’s previous community health fundraising initiatives.
Su Aid Chairman Giwani Zeggen emphasized that even small individual contributions can add up to transformative impact for the hospital’s young patients. “There is no absolute guarantee we will hit the full SRD 9 million target, but this goal is entirely within our reach as a community,” Zeggen explained. “We have 600,000 residents across the country. If every person gives an average of SRD 10, we raise SRD 6 million immediately. If people can contribute SRD 20 each, we will far exceed our target. This success does not depend on a handful of large donors, it depends on all of us giving what we can spare.”
‘s Lands Hospitaal Medical Director Soenita Nannan Panday-Gopisingh also made a direct public appeal to Suriname’s residents to rally behind the campaign, framing the investment as a long-term gift to the nation’s future generations. “Do this for the smallest members of our community,” she urged. “One of these newborns we care for today could one day grow up to lead our country. Years from now, that child will be able to share the story of surviving a critical health challenge here at ‘s Lands Hospitaal, supported by our team of skilled specialists and the life-saving tools this community helped us buy. Every contribution to this project is an investment in the health and potential of our nation’s children.”
The campaign’s core stated goal is to fully close the hospital’s equipment gaps to drastically reduce preventable mortality and complication rates for newborns and pediatric patients, and raise the standard of specialized child care available to all families across Suriname.