Equity Group and Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board begin sending PPEs to public hospitals

Equity Group Foundation and the Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board have commenced the distribution of the second consignment of locally manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE).

The PPEs will be sent to public hospitals across all 47 counties in Kenya including all final year medical and dental students from 11 universities with medical and dental schools as part of its sustained efforts to protect medics from the COVID-19 virus.

“With the escalating numbers of COVID-19 cases, it is critical that we protect our healthcare workers who continue to serve with fortitude. This second round of PPEs will equip even more of our healthcare workers. Now that the finalist medical students have resumed classes and clinical rounds, we felt that they too should be protected as they apply themselves in their last practical lap of training alongside their colleagues at the frontlines,” said Dr. James Mwangi Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, who is also the Chair of the Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board Health Committee.

The consignment includes 266,000 respirator masks, 2.7 million 3- ply surgical masks, 50,000 reinforced disposable gowns, 2 million pairs of nitrile gloves, 60,000 pairs of medical scrubs, 50,000 coveralls with shoe covers, 300,000 head covers, 55,000 face shields, 34,000 pairs of goggles and 200,000 disposable aprons.

They are valued at Ksh. 125million and the consignment designated for final year medical and dental students is valued at Ksh. 10million, bringing the total value of the consignment to Ksh. 135million.

A total of 11 universities whose final year students were recalled to complete their studies are expected to benefit from the PPEs.

The students are from University of Nairobi, Moi University, Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, Maseno University, Masinde Muliro University, Egerton University, Kenya Methodist University, Mount Kenya University and Uzima University.

They will be issued to the final year medical and dental students based on their needs.

Dr. Mwangi  noted that both Equity Group Foundation and the Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board remain committed to fulfilling their promise of supporting the medical fraternity serving in public hospitals with PPEs to safeguard health workers serving on the frontline in mitigating the COVID- 19 pandemic.

Similar to the establishment of the Hospital Liaison Committees, the medical student associations in the various universities have come together to establish working committees led by students who are part of the Equity Leaders Program.

The working committees will serve the primary purpose of managing and tracking the use of the PPEs as well as share feedback on the quality of the PPEs.

They will also identify the various needs that they may require support to ensure that they remain safe while serving Kenyans.

“At some point, we were hopeful that as a country, we were managing the pandemic and containing the infections. However, the upward spike in the positive COVID-19 cases recently witnessed has proven that as Kenyans, we cannot afford to drop our guard. We need to all play our part in reducing the spread of the virus. Let us all stay safe by wearing your mask, maintaining social distance, washing your hands with soap and water and adhering to the Ministry of Health Guidelines,” said Jane Karuku, the Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board Chair.

Earlier this year Equity Group Foundation donated Ksh 1.1 billion (USD 11 Million) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, Equity Bank and the family of Dr. James Mwangi towards the provision of PPEs.

The investment was committed to the Kenya COVID-19 Fund creating an effective and efficient collaboration between the Ministry of Health, The Kenya COVID-19 Fund and Equity Group Foundation for execution.