The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to be distributed to frontline health workers in health institutions.
The PPE, valued at about GH¢400,000.00, comprised 4000 pieces of non-sterile gloves, 500 sterile gloves, 520 isolation gowns, 200 FFP2/N95 face masks, 500 coveralls, 110 panoramic goggles, 105 face shields, 3,256 bottles of hand sanitisers, 1500 show covers and 1000 disposable aprons.
The Country Representative of UNFPA, Ghana, Mr Niyi Ojuolape, said the gesture was to support the government in its quest to protect frontline health workers who were at the forefront of the COVID-19 management in the country.
“If we take good care of frontline health workers, then the nation will be in a good position to contain the spread and management of COVID-19,” he stated.
Other support
Mr Ojuolape said the UNFPA has provided other forms of support towards the management of COVID-19 in Ghana such as the distribution of a “welcome pack” containing basic necessities such as towels, toothpaste and brushes, and bathing soap to every COVID-19 patient who got admitted at the Pentecost Convention Isolation Centre to be able to take care of themselves.
“We have had major interventions in the areas of sexual and gender-based violence by working with DOVVSU and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection in different forms to be able to look out for the implications of the pandemic in different forms,” he added.
Provision of PPE
The Director of Family Health Division, GHS, Dr Kofi Issah, said many health workers have been infected with COVID-19 in the line of duty.
“The PPE have come in at the right time and the existence of the virus means the GHS would need continuous supply of PPE. We have teams outside in communities gathering data on emergency care so that we can support them. So these have come timely and will help us in the discharge of our duties,” Dr Issah said.
Essential equipment
The Director-General, GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, received the items on behalf of the service and expressed gratitude to the UNFPA for the support.
“As part of your business continuity, you are also helping the government to stem the spread of COVID-19 by providing us with essential equipment such as these,” he said.
The items, he said, would help a lot, especially as health workers were taking lots of risks in dealing with patients with confirmed or unconfirmed COVID-19 status.
Mr. Niyi Ojuolape (right) handing over the items to Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye. With them is Dr. Kofi issah (left).
“As we all know, more than 2000 health workers have contracted COVID-19 and that shows the risk involved in their line of duty so these items will be of help to the GHS to maintain the status quo of COVID-19 in Ghana, especially as the numbers have reduced,” he added.
GNA