Ministry receives medical, personal protective gear from Food for the Poor

-to aid Covid fight

Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy on Saturday received a donation of quantities of medical, and personal protective equipment (PPE) from Food for the Poor to help prevent the spread of Covid.

Dr. Ramsammy revealed that Guyana has used so much PPE in one year, that its usage accounts for nearly 10 years of pre-pandemic PPE usage.

“This is the intense need for PPE, and this is the reason why, globally, there is a shortage of PPE because Guyana is not unique in the fact that our demand for PPE has increased 10 times,” he said.

Advisor Ramsammy said despite the Government allocating resources to procure more PPEs, it is constantly challenged to ensure they are received on time.

Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy looks on as Food for the Poor CEO, Mr. Kent Vincent receives his COVID-19 vaccine.

He also used the opportunity to urge those gathered to encourage their peers to get vaccinated, and to resist misinformation about the effects of the various vaccines.

“One thing people need to know, all the vaccines in use in the world today, whether it’s in America or Europe or Russia or India or China or Guyana or Barbados, all of them that are in use in the world today are 100 per cent effective against serious illness from COVID-19.

South Georgetown residents being registered for vaccination

We want to reach every street, every household in this country, and South Georgetown as one of the very densely populated areas, represents a priority area for us,” Dr. Ramsammy said.

Residents trickled into the area during the day to receive their first jabs of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine as Food for the Poor’s compound is being used as a site for the Ministry’s vaccination campaign in South Georgetown.

Food for the Poor’s Festival City compound is being used as a vaccination site

The charity’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kent Vincent said the donation of syringes, medical gloves, face shields and other equipment was made available by its generous partners in the United States and elsewhere overseas.

“Food for the Poor is committed to helping those who are in need,” he said, as he handed over the gear, during a simple ceremony held at the charity’s Festival City office.