NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Dorian dealt the healthcare delivery system in the Bahamas a devastating blow.
It left the only hospital on Grand Bahama Island in shambles.
Throughout the storm damaged islands, patients with chronic medical conditions can't get medicine and treatment for the sick and injured is scarce.
"The biggest issue they're having right now is people don't have insulin, kids that are sick, antibiotics, there's a huge need for medical supplies," New Orleans entrepreneur Sidney Torres.
Torres has business and personal ties to the Bahamas.
Volunteers spent the past three days inside his Mid-City warehouse, packing food boxes to send to the islands.
Torres said given the growing humanitarian crisis, he is now asking local hospitals and medical supply companies for donations.
David Wills owns United Medical Providers in New Orleans East.
"I'm personally going to donate a lot of money to buy the basic products that I know they need as far as triage goes," Wills said. "Your bandages, your hydrogen peroxide, your IV drip, that sort of stuff."
LCMC Health confirmed its five area hospitals are now coordinating a sizable donation of medical supplies.
The hospital group plans to deliver the donation to Torres' warehouse on Friday.
"It's just amazing that they want to help out," Torres said. "When they step up, you're going to have other organizations step up because they want to be part of helping out."
Ochsner Health System will also be donating supplies for Torres to send to the Bahamas.
"We are working closely with Sidney Torres to provide critical medical supplies to the areas with greatest need," Ochsner President and CEO Warner Thomas said. "This is the first step in providing immediate support and we will be working towards a more comprehensive plan to continue ongoing relief efforts.”
Torres plans to load the food and medical supplies on an 18-wheeler and truck it to South Florida.
There it will put on cargo planes and flown to the Bahamas.
"The first plane is going out on Saturday," Torres said. "Then from there, we're just going to have, hopefully two planes a day going two trips a day from Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday."
If you want to make a donation of pre-boxed medical supplies, you can contact Sidney Torres directly on Facebook or Instagram.