The pandemic has severely and negatively impacted OVAID’s delivery of donated items to the Indonesian veterinary rescue teams over the last year but remaining determined as always, we have found innovative ways of continuing to provide direct and focussed support.
Financial Support
In 2020 we made specific financial contributions directly to the veterinary teams of several centres including Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) and International Animal Rescue (IAR), to assist them in coping with the challenges of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
An example was the BOSFoundation team at Nyaru Menteng who were able to purchase essential sedative and anaesthetic drugs together with a new laptop, printer and internet access for the veterinary clinic which had been lacking this facility. Now the team are not only able to preserve clinical records digitally but can also undertake important communications and research etc on site.
We continue to offer financial support to centres and have donated more than £5,000 so far this year.
In-Situ Assistance.
2021
With international transport curtailed due to the pandemic and an engineer unable to travel to the centre, a problem with the recalibration of the digital X-ray system at BOSFoundation Nyaru Menteng was succesfully resolved. OVAID were able to facilitate Dr Joost Phillipa to visit and perform the necessary procedure with remote assistance from technical experts in NewZealand.
Assisting Vital Research
OVAID recently managed to source and purchase £1,600 of laboratory supplies and, collaborating with International Animal Rescue here in the U.K., managed to have them couriered to the IAR Orangutan Rescue Centre in West Kalimantan, Borneo. (These supplies were unavailable in Kalimantan.)
The centre, under the control of veterinarian Dr Karmele Llano Sanchez, cares for more than 100 orangutans and is unique in having its own sophisticated PCR laboratory. Here, important research into both malaria in orangutan and how SARS-CoV-2 will affect the great ape species is ongoing.
Orangutan are prone to upper respiratory infections and it is extremely likely that they are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) therefore it is paramount for the future of this critically endangered species that research into this at IAR’s very own PCR lab is supported by OVAID in any way we can.
Quote from IAR Indonesia:
"Thank you for the Orangutan Veterinary Aid, for the assistance of medical supplies for animal care at our rescue and rehabilitation center.
This donation is very meaningful for our medical team as the frontline in saving wildlife."
During 2021 these restrictions on our work remain in place until we are certain that the orangutan are at minimal risk and travel resumes but we are totally committed to continue to provide help and assistance to the centres. Whilst we continue to build supplies of equipment here in the U.K. we are constantly looking at alternative ways to support the vet teams.
None of this is achievable without the support of our followers and if you would like to be a part of this continuing great effort and are able to contribute then please consider making a donation at https://www.ovaid.org/donate-ovaid
“Only if we understand can we care.
Only if we care will we help.
Only if we help shall all be saved.”
Dr Jane Goodall
If Plan A doesn’t work - there are 25 more letters in the alphabet!
How OVAID continues to assist centres during the current pandemic.