Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Although located so far south, Argentina was still badly affected by the spread of the H1N1 virus. The government ordered quarantines and school closures to contain the spread of the disease. Nevertheless, over 110,000 people were infected, and 149 people died from the disease. Argentina became the second most seriously affected country in the world.
 
Quilmes Hospital, a designated H1N1 hospital in Buenos Aires, had only 130 beds, but it had to accommodate 800 patients, most of whom thus had to sleep on chairs or air mattresses they had brought themselves. To help improve conditions, Tzu Chi volunteers donated 25 mattresses, 15 beds, 53 blankets, a spirometer to measure lung capacity, and other medical equipment to the hospital on July 17. The equipment would help the hospital better care for patients during the H1N1 outbreak.
 
On the same day, volunteers also held a distribution of medications and ten mucus extractors at a sports club in Quilmes, benefiting 31 needy families.