September 9, 2021
BY MOHAED M. SESAY
Through the facilitation of UNICEF, the Korean Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Ambassador KimYoung Chae, has yesterday the 8th of September, donated two hundred thousand of high quality face masks to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in order to boost the preventive measures of the coronavirus.
Speaking to the press at the UNICEF Conference Hall, Ambassador Young Chae intimated that the support from the Korean Government is to help Sierra Leonean Health workers and Front liners in their respective line of duties. He added that the Healthcare Workers are in danger in their quest to respond to citizens especially in cases relating to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ambassador Chae further said that because of the vulnerability of the Healthcare workers of being infected with the coronavirus, his government aim is to protect the frontline and health workers so that they can in return, provide adequate medical service for the people of Sierra Leone. He concluded that Korea has one of the best manufacturing capability and therefore, assured that the donated face masks are of high quality and world classed.
In her statement, the UNICEF Representative Ms. Liv Elin Indreiten appreciated the Korean Government for the generous donation of two hundred thousand high quality face masks to Sierra Leone. She added that the donation is part of the contribution-in-kind (CIK) mask donations from the Government of the Republic of Korea to UNICEF. She said the donation is one of the largest CIK for the Covid-19 responses channeled through any UN agency. She recalled that 4.6 million high quality facemasks worth 9.4 million dollars have been allocated to twenty-four countries in Africa and Latin America.
‘’Last years, UNICEF supported the training of nearly two thousand nine hundred healthcare workers on how to properly carry out their duties while protecting themselves and their patients from Covid-19. The consistent and regular wearing of facemasks is one of the protective measures that healthcare workers such as Agnes are depending on to ensure their safety while working’’, she said.
Receiving the donated facemasks, the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Amara Jambai on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone, extended his profound thanks and appreciation to the Korean Ambassador and the Government of the Republic of Korea for such generous gesture. He assured the Korean Ambassador that the donated facemasks will be fully used for their intended purpose.