Anne Claire Dufay (left) handing over the donation to Cynthia Morrison.
UNICEF has presented Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other hygiene items, as well as posters, to the Department of Social Welfare, under the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection.
The donation is to protect the frontline workers who provide essential services to vulnerable children and families, living in 150 residential homes in more than 100 districts, against Covid-19.
The donation included 1,625 packets of masks, 1,625 packets of gloves, 1,625 bottles of hand sanitizers, 150 pieces of contact digital thermometers, 150 Veronica buckets with stands -35 of which are already in Tamale- 2,000 gallons of liquid soap, 10,000 rolls of hand tissue, 500 gallons of bleach, and 5,000 posters with key messages.
The Gender Children and Social Protection Minister, Cynthia Morrison, received the items which were also targeted at children in junior correction facilities and remand homes.
UNICEF Country Representative, Anne Claire Dufay, commended the department for the extraordinary work they are doing in this challenging times saying, “the government of Ghana is making relentless efforts to curtail the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable children and families.”
She noted that the health, safety and wellbeing of all staff engaged in the Covid-19 response is a shared responsibility adding that the UN country team is supporting the government of Ghana to strengthen social services across all sectors, including social welfare services.
“While children seem to be less vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus itself, the collateral impact children, young people and women already affected by poverty, disability or social exclusion, is considerable … the more reasons, special attention to these children and the continuation of protection from the virus, as well as case management and psychosocial support are critical,” she said.
Mrs Morrison expressed gratitude to UNICEF for the presentation and assured the government homes will receive the supplies.
UNICEF has made similar donations to the Judicial Service and the Births and Deaths Registry.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri