In a bid to support the country’s COVID-19 response, PharmAccess Foundation in collaboration with Novartis donated Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs to Healthcare workers in Six Geopolitical zones. PPEs donated include N95 respirators and surgical masks.
Njide Ndili, country director of PharmAccess Foundation, noted that the contribution was Due to the high demand of PPEs for health workers in Nigeria. She also called on interested organizations to partner and strengthen the Nigerian health system to improve access to basic healthcare services.
“The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to health systems globally. Nigeria is witnessing an exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 positive cases because of community spread. Care for COVID-19 patients remains the responsibility of government hospitals as private hospitals are restricted from providing care, except when accredited by State Ministries of Health.”
“According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, over 800 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria. When infection prevention protocols are not complied with, infection rates increase among both frontline health workers and the patients in their care, further affecting critical care capacity. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers is in high demand globally and expensive.”
Meanwhile, Babatunde Ojo Cluster Head, English West Africa, Novartis Nigeria Limited, stated that, “the organization is happy to fund initiatives that support continuity of healthcare services and prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections.
“By providing essential PPEs to public hospitals, we hope to protect healthcare workers and encourage continued provision of healthcare services.”
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