Nanaimo doctors asking for donations of masks and gloves during COVID-19 fight

Those who are keeping the community healthy and safe need to remain healthy and safe themselves.

A local effort is now underway to collect donations of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release from Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, a global shortage of protective equipment available to health care workers “is impacting access to supplies in Nanaimo.”

“While health care professionals have some supplies now, we want to ensure that there is no disruption while we are waiting for new orders of supplies to arrive,” notes the release, signed by Dr. Roger Walmsley, board chairman.

The Nanaimo Division of Family Practice is asking individuals or organizations to donate any spare PPE, including gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. The division said it will distribute donated supplies throughout the regional district, including Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, private clinics and to other health-care workers.

“A consistent supply of PPE will allow our health care teams to focus on patient care and minimize their risk of injury or illness,” the release notes. “These workers are on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they need our support today.”

For more information or to find out how to donate personal protective equipment, visit www.divisionsbc.ca/nanaimo/resources/donateppe.

Province addressing protective equipment shortage

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Friday that a number of steps are being taken to ensure that there is enough personal protective equipment to go around, mentioning “innovative ways of re-processing and cleaning” PPE and getting it from wherever it’s available. She said she had previously expressed concern about how quickly supplies were being used up, and said in some cases health care workers have adjusted their practices to level off that use.

“That’s a central focus of all of government right now, is to obviously get more PPE, and in the meantime, work efficiently to make the changes we have so that we use the PPE that we have better,” said B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix. “And that means keeping health-care workers safe and that is our top priority.”