NORTHWELL Health, through the Center for Global Health (CGH), on Tuesday, donated medical supplies inclusive of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in support of the hospital’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The protective equipment to keep healthcare workers safe include 12,000 KN-95 masks, 10,200 surgical masks, 3,200 isolation gowns and 1,800 face shields. Collectively, the medical supplies are worth US$18,000.

“We hope the supplies provided will help you in fighting the current surge of COVID-19 cases in Guyana,” Director of Global Health, Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, said in a letter to GPHC’s Chairman, Dr. Madan Rambarran.

Dr. Rambarran acknowledged the timely donation, which he described as a “practical contribution” to the corporation’s ongoing efforts.

The provision of adequate PPE for healthcare workers is an essential component of COVID-19 management, particularly for those who work in highly exposed environments.

“As an institution that prioritises the health of its staff, the GPHC cannot underscore the importance of this substantive donation from Northwell,” management of the hospital said in a press release.

Northwell Health has been a long-standing partner of the GPHC and has supported the institution for many years through several training and capacity-building initiatives.

Although the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected the delivery of regular programmes, GPHC is “extremely grateful” for Northwell’s assistance to Guyana’s healthcare workers, which will be very useful, especially for the protection of frontline staff as they continue their dedication to patient care.