(Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia, January 27, 2021) As part of partnership with the Government of Liberia and the Ministry of Health for the protection of healthcare workers in Liberia, Mercy Ships Wednesday, January 27, 2021 donated assorted Medical Supplies to the Ministry in Congo Town.
The mix Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) included 74,300 pieces composed of 16,800 surgeon/nurse caps, 8,000 N95 filtering face piece masks, 14,500 examination gloves, 16,000 isolation gowns, 2,200 goggles and 16,800 pairs of shoe-covers.
“On behalf of Mercy Ships international, our board, Africa Bureau, International Support Center and national offices staff, crew and volunteers of the Ships, it is my privilege as designated Mercy Ships Country Director for Liberia to complete the donation handover of Personal Protective Equipment from Mercy Ships,” Keith Brinkman, Mercy Ships Country Director to Liberia said during handover of the donation to Minister Wilhelmina Jallah at the Minister of Health in Monrovia.
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic last year, Mercy Ships had made earlier donation of PPE to the Ministry of Health consisting of 13,600 of pieces of assorted medical supplies.
“I also express our appreciation to the MSC Foundation for their donation of shipping and port coordination and their partnership with Mercy Ship since 2011. Also thanks to the contracted services of OBT shipping here in Liberia for clearance,” Keith Brinkman, Mercy Ships Country Director to Liberia noted. “Similar shipments were sent to 10 other partner nations including Benin, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo”.
The PPE is designated for distribution by the Ministry for the ongoing battle to continue medical care and keep the health care workers safe.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the government and people of Liberia, Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah acknowledged the numerous contributions by Mercy Ships International since the outbreak of the noxious Coronavirus pandemic, describing it as a milestone in the fight against the pandemic.
Dr. Jallah, earlier, lauded Mercy Ship international for including Liberia among nations in the sub-region to benefit the donation which will guarantee the fight against the COVID-19.
“On behalf of the president, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, head of the sparkle team, who oversees the COVID-19, we appreciated the last gift you sent to us and it was to continue the fight against COVID-19. We are happy that you are able to provide all of these other materials us as well as our neighboring countries to continue to fight COVID-19. Everything that have been received here today will be used for its intended purpose—to protected the healthcare workers and to fight this virus,” she said during the donation.
Deliberating further at the one hundred thousand United States dollars ($100,000US) donation, the energetic Minister noted: “Also since we have move on from –COVID-19 to integrating the fight into routine health care, we will be able to supply all of our different facilities with materials to protect themselves, not only from COVID but from any other pending emerging infections that will come into the system, as the days go back.”
The donation which is aimed at enhancing workings of health workers at various facilities across the country, will not only benefit them (health workers) but will indirectly benefit populace in general: “We really appreciate what you have sent and I am sure that the rest of the population will benefit indirectly because as it goes to the facilities, our health workers will be fully prepare to do their job,” she concluded.
Signed: ________________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communication, MOH