NBS Banks supports Blantyre’s frontline health workers with Covid-19 PPES
NBS Bank on Thursday donated various personal protective equipment (PPEs) for Blantyre Health Office (DHO) health workers who are in the frontline in mitigating Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The PPEs included examination gloves, face masks and protective suits as a response from several calls made by various quarters and the health workers themselves for assistance in such areas.
Presenting the donation on Thursday at NBS Bank headquarters at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre, Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking, Alfred Nhlema said as a responsible corporate citizen, they thought it wise to to join all other stakeholders to support this fight against the pandemic.
“Today we partner with Blantyre DHO through this donation. However we will be doing more work, in partnership with other NICO Group of companies in joining hands to support the Ministry of Health Sector Response Initiative,” Nhelma said.
“This is one way of appreciating the work that Blantyre DHO is doing to prevent the virus from causing damage to the lives of Malawians including the frontline health workers.
“The society in which we operate is an important part of the Bank as you know that NBS Bank, apart from being one of the oldest financial service providers, also enjoys a wide footprint across the country — hence our need to give back to the communities we operate in.”
Nhlema applauded the medical professionals for the sacrifice and bravery they have displayed since Malawi was affected with the COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared as a global pandemic.
In his vote of thanks, Blantyre DHO’s Director of Social Services, Dr. Gift Kawalazira expressed his profound gratitude for the donation, which he described as strategic because in their efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, they have a deliberate initiative in making sure the frontline COVID-19 health workers are well protected.
“While the attention is to protect the general public from contracting the virus as well as treating those affected, We also have a deliberate system of protecting our staff.
“Those that have been in close touch with confirmed cases were and will be put in special isolation intensive care unit to monitor their progress until they are certified not infected.
“Thus this donation of PPEs will go a long way to complement our efforts to protect the frontline health workers,” the doctor said.
He disclosed that there has been no case of COVID-19 recorded in Blantyre in past eight days.
The first positive case was recorded on April 4 and since April 15, there were 8 cases in which one died.
At the moment Blantyre DHO is conducting contact tracing on people who might have been in touch of the confirmed cases of the virus.
“In the worst case scenario, if our communities were to have massive infections, we have back up isolation centres at College of Medicine and at Kamuzu College of Nursing Kameza Campus.
“And if these get congested with have a back up plan of using the College of Health Sciences and later the Polytechnic at Ginnery Corner and even secondary and primary schools around the city.
“In all these measures, there are the health workers and allow me to extend my deep appreciation of the wonderful job they are doing so far and we applaud NBS Bank for coming forward to protect our staff so that they can confidently assist the public,” Kawalazira said.
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