Please help us raise funds to purchase needed medical equipment for Great Ocean Road Health.

Purchasing an Oxylog Ventilator will help us provide ventilation to acutely unwell patients in our Apollo Bay Urgent Care Unit. This needed lifesaving machine will benefit the health needs of our community.

"A mechanical ventilator is used for lifesaving medical procedures. It essentially assists a very sick patient in breathing or breathes for the patient whilst they are paralysed or sedated” Dr Terence Heng.

The Ventilator also provides CPAP therapy for patients in acute respiratory distress. This helps to prevent breathing difficulties, increases the level of oxygen in the lungs and removes the unwanted carbon dioxide out of the lungs.

Currently acutely unwell patients are ventilated with the assistance of our nursing and medical staff who manually ventilate patients until an ambulance arrives to transport them to a higher care facility. “Apollo Bay is in an isolated area where medical evacuation to a regional centre is dependent on available transport by Ambulance Victoria. Sometimes, this can take 3 to 4 hours” Dr Terence Heng.

“Usually for such patients, there are multiple procedures or logistical tasks that need to be completed. A mechanical ventilator frees up the clinician or nurse to focus on other issues” Dr Terence Heng.

Please support our health service and help us provide great healthcare to our community by donating today.