Abompuniso (W/R), May 22, GNA – AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to five health centres in its host communities to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
The items include 40,000 pieces of hand gloves, 1,000 pieces of N95 face masks, 1,300 hand sanitizers and five infrared thermometers.
Adieyie, Abompuniso, Bankyim, Wangarakrom, and Teberebie health centres are the beneficiary communities.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Mine, Mr Samuel Koffie, Senior Manager Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), said the fight against COVID-19 cannot be won if healthcare professionals who are at the forefront of the battle are not well resourced and adequately protected.
Mr Koffie said the Mine has undertaken several interventions and measures to protect its employees, contractors and host communities from contracting the Coronavirus in line with its Emergency Response Plan.
“We have embarked on a rigorous sensitisation campaigns both on site and across our host communities to educate the people on COVID -19 preventive measures,” he said.
Mr Koffie said “We have also donated hand washing facilities and assorted items to our host communities and high-risk areas in Tarkwa, including hospitals, bus terminals and market centers, as part of efforts to promote good hygiene practices”.
He expressed the hope that the items would assist in battling the pandemic.
Mr Stephen Adjei, the Senior Manager – Sustainability, pledged Iduapriem Mine’s commitment to work with the Municipal COVID-19 Emergency Response Team to intensify community sensitization and scale up contact tracing efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in the municipality.
He appealed to the public to abide by the safety, social and physical distancing protocols outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Madam Caroline Effah Otoo, the Tarkwa -Nsuaem Municipal Health Director, who received the items on behalf of the health centres, commended the Mine for the goodwill and gave the assurance that they would be used for its intended purpose.
She expressed concern about the increasing report of stigmatization against patients who have recovered from the virus.
Madam Otoo said such practices would only derail the collective efforts in combating the disease and advised the public to desist from such acts.
GNA