Workers prepare personal protective equipment for medical staff at a workshop before their distribution to government hospitals during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Kolkata on April 4, 2020. (Photo by Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP)
By Chioma Obinna
Amidst this second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, Project SafeUp, an initiative created by My World of Bags (MWOB), a bag design and manufacturing company, in collaboration with Mastercard Foundation has produced and distributed over 100,000 items of free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to schools and hospitals nationwide in the last
The PPE includes reusable non-surgical masks, face shields, gowns, scrubs, shoe covers and head covers. So far, these have been distributed in Lagos, Oyo and Ekiti States.
The initiative, which commenced in November 2020, is a joint effort to promote health and safety among Nigerians amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Following the outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria, MWOB retooled its factory to focus on the production of PPE and established key partnerships with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country. Project SafeUp aims to produce and distribute over 2.5 million within five months.
The Director of Social Programmess, My World of Bags/FemiHandbags, Sinmi Olayebi, said the distribution was informed by the need to increase safety measures amidst the second wave of the virus in the country.
“A collaborative effort from citizens, private sector organisations and relevant government bodies, is critical to stemming this tide. Protecting ourselves and loved ones with the use of the appropriate PPE; the adoption of strict social distancing measures; and regular hand washing, even as we celebrate the holiday festivities, is a priority.
“Project SafeUp is committed to becoming an effective driving force in improving access to PPE for as many Nigerians as possible, and to providing the sensitisation required to ensure the continued use and adoption of the necessary safety measures. We hope that our efforts and contributions over the coming months can play a role in curbing the spread of the coronavirus in Nigeria.”
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