SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Rio Arriba County
As the infection rates continue to rise at an alarming rate in the Navajo Nation beds and equipment are being donated by Rio Arriba County to help with the response. A total of fifteen (15) beds and personal protective equipment (PPE) of one hundred twenty-three (123) gowns and sixty (60) 3-D printed N95 masks are currently being transported to Rehoboth McKinley Hospital (RMCH) in Gallup, McKinley County. Alfredo Montoya, the head of the County’s Emergency Operations Center, said the County is working to provide cloth masks and face shields as well.
Jonathan Nez, President of Navajo Nation, is expecting COVID-19 cases to peak sometime in May to mid-May, so it is hoped the beds and PPE will be a timely resource. The Gallup area serves as a medical hub for residents from the Navajo and Zuni reservations so the donation to Rehoboth McKinley Hospital is expected to especially help tribal members hard hit by the pandemic.
“We just appreciate these beds. Our facilities right now are full – both RMCH and IHS (Indian Health Service). This is a blessing. We’d like to say thank you to Rio Arriba,” said William “Bill” Camarota
the Special Projects and Safety Officer for WellSpring Recovery Center Behavioral Health Services, a clinic/division of RMCH. Mr. Camarota drove down with a trailor to pick up the beds and equipment to take back to RMCH.
“Rio Arriba County is just so excited that we could help. We are here to help our neighbors in any way that we can,” said County Commission Chair, Leo Jaramillo.
