Mr. Philip Smith handing over the medical scrubs to Dr Bernard Okoe Boye
The United Kingdom (UK) mission in Ghana has handed over 5,000 sets of locally produced medical scrubs to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to support hospitals in treating Covid-19 cases.
The donation of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) is the UK’s latest support to the Ghanaian government in its Covid-19 fight.
Development Director at the UK Mission, Philip Smith, in a brief remark commended the Ghanaian government for its proactive measures and response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I want to recognize Ghana and the Ministry of Health for its response to Covid-19 which has resulted in low active cases,” he said.
Mr. Smith, however, noted that Covid-19 continues to have a significant impact on people, health systems and economies around the world.
He said when countries were faced with shortage of PPEs the Ghanaian; UK, USA and German governments were able to work closely with their apparel sector to production locally manufactured PPEs for their citizens.
He added that the UK government through it apparel firm has over the past few months worked with local companies (Alfie Designs and KAD Manufacturing Limited) to enhance their production.
“Together we have achieved a great deal; the firms we worked with have produced over 45,000 medical scrubs for both domestic and international markets,” he indicated.
He was hopeful that the UK government and the Ministry of Health would initiate discussions to include the apparel businesses in their procurement of locally produce medical scrubs.
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, receiving the items on behalf of the government said the local garment industry continues to play a critical role in the containment of Covid-19 infection.
He noted that the early engagement of local manufacturers in the production of PPEs helped many Ghanaians access one of the essential tools for protecting themselves against Covid-19.
He therefore thanked the UK government for the gesture adding that so far as the country is recording active Covid-19 cases, there was the need to keep frontline health workers protected and the public safe.
“Covid-19 is like a bush fire until the last flame is quenched we cannot say it is over because that little flame can be reignited,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri