In a move to support healthcare workers who are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19, Safaricom Foundation handed over personal protective equipment (PPEs) to enable them continue do their work with courage, dedication and commitment.
The PPEs which include N95 masks, disposable aprons and gloves, non-contact thermometers and shoe covers worth sh3 million will be distributed to over 500 health workers in 7 hospitals.
Joseph Ogutu, Chairman, Safaricom Foundation said that they empathise with Mombasa County as one of the most affected by coronavirus. “With the critical role that health care workers are playing in the fight against this pandemic, it is only right that we all come together to ensure that they are adequately protected. We are happy to be supplementing the county government efforts with the provision of these PPE’s which will also benefit community health workers who fill an important gap in the communities,” he said.
It has been noted that as Mombasa prepared for the worst, with many initiatives led by the Governor, a lot of the infections have proven to be asymptomatic, and not requiring hospitalization.
But the county remains one of the hotspots in Kenya, with Old Town and Mvita being the regional hotspots.
As of Wednesday, 3rd June, Mombasa’s case load had shot to 350 while 22 people had lost their lives. Likoni, Changamwe and the Port of Mombasa are also emerging as hotbeds of the virus in the county.
It has been cited that the culture and lifestyle of Mombasa residents, including communal gatherings and sharing of meals during the month of Ramadhan are fueling infections
The donation from Safaricom builds into their other donation of sh200 million through the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations towards providing cash transfers for food to support vulnerable communities as well as thermal cameras worth sh10 million to the Ministry of Health installed in various border entry points.
The Foundation has also partnered with Scope International to set up sanitation booths in six Counties in Nyanza and Western as well as provided water to residents of Kibera, Mathare and Korogocho.
The Foundation also donated PPEs to health workers Uasin Gishu County.
