The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), has started the mass productions of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to compliment government and civil society organisations in their efforts at ensuring the safety of personnel against COVID-19 in the facility.
The hospital through its internally generated funds has engaged some staff to undertake the production of the PPE.
In addition, they will also be producing liquid soaps and hand sanitisers to ensure patients and staff get enough to protect themselves against the virus.
The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Daniel Asare disclosed this yesterday when the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) presented PPE to the Department of Medicines and Therapeutic of the facility in Accra.
The items, worth GH₵ 252,000 were made up of 50 boxes of medical face masks, 2000 N95 face masks, 100 boxes of examination gloves, 1000 disposable protective gowns, 500 coveralls, 500 large tissues for hand drying and 500 liters of hand sanitisers.
Dr Asare said following the global challenge faced in producing adequate PPE for countries affected with the virus, the facility thought it wise to produce standardised PPEs for their own usage.
“These are the items that the hospital actually need. The hand sanitisers, the coveralls and the examination gloves among others, all these individual items when put together become PPE.
So PPEs are not one thing medical practitioners wear, but the wearing of face mask and gloves are appropriate items that protect doctors and nurses in infectious areas,” he said.
Dr Asare said the presentation was so far the biggest donation the facility had received in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that, “it will go a long way to encourage the frontline workers in handling patients.”
“We are grateful to WAPCo, government and civil society organisations who have supported the facility to discharge their duty effectively during this pandemic,” he said.
The Managing Director for WAPCO, Mr Gregory Germani on his part explained that the presentation formed part of WAPCo’s corporate social responsibility.
He said a similar presentation would be made for the people of Nigeria, Togo and Benin as well.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
