THE United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has donated personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other materials to help the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) address the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Sapia Taulani, senior protection associate of UNHCR, turned over the donation Friday, June 26, to Barmm Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim at the office of the Barmm-Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (Readi).
"We [the Barmm alone] cannot address and face the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. We need the support of the donor communities, national government and other United Nation agencies. Our international donors are swift when responding to our needs. Their timely actions contributed a lot to our initiatives in containing the virus in the region," Ebrahim said.
"We are not yet through with the challenges and still unclear when this catastrophe ends. Nobody really knows but we need to prepare for the future," Ebrahim added.
Included in the donated supplies are 100 plastic tarpaulins (with eyelets, fire retardant 4X5 meters), 1,110 N95 masks, 1,110 pairs of patient care gloves, 3,000 surgical caps, 3,000 pairs of shoe covers, 500 boxes of medical masks, and 4,740 face shields.
Ebrahim admitted they extremely needed the supplies donated them by the UNHCR, "especially when we continue to accommodate those who avail programs set by the government."
Ebrahim added that most of the medical supplies will be used for the returning overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals (LSI) in the region.
"Our partnership will continue as this is just a beginning of our renewed commitment in the region," Taulani told Ebrahim.
"UNHCR is one of our first donors, who provided tents and necessary equipment when accommodating repatriated Filipinos and put them in our isolation facilities at Sibakel Island," said Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, Minister of Interior and Local Government.
"This turnover ceremony is a manifestation of a continuing partnership with between Barmm and UNHCR as our donor community," Sinarimbo added. (SunStar Zamboanga)