The pandemic taught humanity many lessons. One of the most vital is that public health is everyone’s concern, and infectious disease knows no artificial boundaries of race, socioeconomic class or national borders. This tragedy should unite humanity as one.
Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), a Scottish charity, encourages the sharing of resources from wealthier nations to poorer ones. The charity will donate £11.2 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda.
The Dire Need for PPE
Many remember the start of the pandemic when hospitals and other medical facilities scrambled to find adequate stores of PPE to protect medical personnel working on patients infected with the novel coronavirus. Even in nations like the United States, many health care professionals found themselves resorting to desperate measures to stay safe on the job.
Perhaps nowhere is the need for PPE more pronounced than in many African nations. These brave men and women on medicine’s frontlines put themselves at risk to nurture their patients. Supply chain issues often leave them using uncertified PPE that may not fully protect against respiratory droplets.
Unnecessarily exposing themselves to hazards only compounds the problems brought on by the pandemic. Many regions lack trained providers, and having one fall sick could leave patients with no one to care for them.
Furthermore, those infected during the line of duty often go on to spread the disease to others. The numbers of people needing care multiplies as those with the training to meet their needs become sick.
What KidsOR Plans
KidsOR received the PPE donation and raised another $1 million to transport the equipment to organizations such as the Wood Foundation, Pula Unlimited, Postcode Trust and Delta Philanthropies. The supplies include masks, goggles and visors. They come in the nick of time as countries like Zambia gear up for COVID-19’s anticipated fourth wave.
The organization encourages wealthy nations to do more to tackle the global challenge the pandemic presents. They underline the commitment of the Scottish government to doing their part in ending the pandemic.
Proper hygiene remains one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, many developing nations lack adequate resources like fresh water for handwashing. The virus quickly spreads in such regions, decimating entire villages at a time.
Masks remain one of the best ways to prevent the spread of disease caused by contact with respiratory droplets. The right models go beyond preventing COVID-19’s proliferation. They also help control other infectious diseases like the flu.
However, masks are not created equal. While any facial covering provides some protection, health care workers need the heavier N95 versions to filter out large and small particles when the user inhales. This feature is critical, as doctors and nurses often have to lean over patients, putting themselves in the direct line of germ-fire.
KidsOR Providing Vital PPE in Africa
The need for PPE became a pressing problem during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of the world’s nations still lack the resources they need. Thanks to charities like KidsOR, they’re closer to guaranteeing safer care for providers and patients alike.