Personal protection equipment for use by medical staff was handed over on Friday to Deputy Minister of Health Khamphone Phouthavong by UNFPA Representative to Laos Mariam Khan.
The items provided comprise 190 sets of personal protective equipment for health workers to reduce the risk of infection, 7,000 pairs of gloves, examination equipment, long cuffs, 700 boxes of surgical masks, and 2,040 surgical respirator masks.Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr Khamphone said it was essential to protect all patients who were receiving healthcare, including pregnant women and babies who might be exposed to infection.
“Prevention and protection for frontline workers such as midwives, health providers, counsellors and those serving in shelters for survivors of gender-based violence is very important to maintain essential services during the Covid-19 pandemic, ” he said. He noted that the collaboration with the Ministry of Health covers interventions focusing on the provision of maternal services and psychosocial support for the most marginalised groups nationwide, with the aim of ensuring universal access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health information and services for pregnant women, women of reproductive age, and young people, as a priority during the Covid-19 outbreak.