The National COVID-19 Trust Fund established by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to raise money and relief items to support vulnerable persons in the country made donations to a number of institutions at the forecourt of the State House in Accra yesterday.
The Board of Trustees of the Fund, Chaired by Justice Sophia Akuffo, former Chief Justice, presented items worth more than GH₵32.5 million out of the total amount of GH₵53,911,294.87 received so far as donations.
The items are infrared thermometer, scrub suits, head covers, all sizes of coveralls, heavy duty aprons, disposable aprons, utility gloves, examination gloves, sterile gloves, gynaecological gloves, N95 facemasks, surgical facemasks and goggles, among others.
The beneficiary institutions from the Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Oti regions include the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, Tema General Hospital, and Korle-bu Teaching Hospital
The rest are the University of Ghana Medical Centre, 37 Military Hospital, Ga East Municipal Hospital, the Police Hospital, the Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Hohoe Municipal Hospital, Ho Teaching Hosptial, and Nkwanta District Hospital.
Established about three months ago at the early stages of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the fund seeks to raise monies and items to support the poor and vulnerable persons affected by the pandemic in Ghana.
The Board of Trustees of the fund have received several donations in cash and relief items from individuals and institutions in Ghana and abroad and have, already, made donations to institutions in many parts of the country.
Justice Akuffo said the donations made yesterday is in fulfilment of one of the cardinal objectives of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund which is to support persons engaged in the combat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said in spite of government’s efforts and other benevolent institutions to adequately equip and protect the dedicated frontline workers in the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Trustees have monitored media reports and heard complaints from a lot of health professionals concerning the lack of PPE and other logistics needed for the combat of the COVID-19 disease.
This distribution is therefore meant to help fill the gap or shortfall in the supply of PPE and other medical items to frontline workers for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, she said.
Yesterday’s event was also used to launch the National COVID-19 Trust Fund website.
BY YAW KYEI