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Ethiopian Airlines’ 777-200LR carries more than $500K worth of anesthesia equipment to Ethiopia’s largest hospital

EVERETT, Wash., Dec. 17, 2010 — Boeing partnered with Ethiopian Airlines and Seattle Anesthesia Outreach (SAO) for this week’s 777-200LR (longer range) delivery to Ethiopian Airlines to transport much needed anesthesia equipment to Black Lion Hospital – Ethiopia’s largest hospital.

“Boeing and its airline partners have been working together to fill what is sometimes empty cargo space to help bring relief to people around the globe,” said Liz Warman, director of Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship for the Northwest region. “Our company has a history in humanitarian efforts. Our Humanitarian Delivery Flights program is another way we can continue leveraging our resources to help those in need.”

“Since its inception, Ethiopian Airlines has been engaged in various corporate social responsibility activities, which support community initiatives and development efforts,” said Ato Girma Wake, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “We see our airplanes as not only a resource for our airline, but also a source of vital service for the people of Ethiopia and when we can use that resource in a manner such as this; it truly reaffirms our commitment to undertake social responsibilities whenever and wherever we can.”

Ethiopian Airlines’ new 777-200LR (its second of five 777-200LRs on order) will deliver approximately 12,000 pounds (5,443 kg) of medical supplies, mainly anesthesia machines, monitors and books, from Seattle Anesthesia Outreach to Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Black Lion Hospital is the largest hospital in Ethiopia as well as the largest teaching hospital for the University of Addis Medical School.

“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to work with Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines to use this flight to support our efforts in Ethiopia,” said Dr. Mark Cullen, vice president and co-founder of SAO. “These supplies will prove critical when a group of 20 doctors travel to Ethiopia in February as part of our ongoing humanitarian trips to the region.”

A majority of the medical supplies being shipped to Ethiopia were donated by Swedish Medical Center, which is the largest and most comprehensive non-profit health provider in the greater Seattle area. In addition to the donation of medical supplies, 12 affiliated physicians and clinical staff from Swedish have donated vacation time to volunteer as part of SAO’s humanitarian trips to Ethiopia.

The Boeing Humanitarian Delivery Flights (HDF) program is a collaboration effort between Boeing, airline customers and non-profit organizations to deliver humanitarian aid throughout the world to communities in need or crisis. The humanitarian items are loaded into the empty cargo space of new airplanes being delivered and transported to the customer’s home destination.
Ethiopian Airlines as a responsible corporate firm is committed to support worthy social activities, which are designed to help build sustainable livelihoods for individuals, the community and the society in general. In doing so, it has left its mark on major social initiatives.