Big response to appeal from SUH for safety gear
A call for donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Sligo University Hospital has led to businesses across the region contributing items as the demand across the country for protective items increases.
After management at the hospital made the request last week, many other hospitals around the country have followed a similar path due to such a high demand and a delay in the delivery of such equipment.
The response from businesses and people to the request has been “absolutely fantastic” according to Sligo Chamber’s Geraldine Courtenay.
The Chamber has been co-ordinating the effort of seeking PPE equipment for the hospital, and having contacted members last week, Geraldine says the effort has reached much further than anyone had anticipated.
“Management at Sligo University Hospital contacted us last week and requested that we share it with our members,” Geraldine told The Sligo Champion.
“We reached out to members to see if they had any of the items that the hospital is looking for. They [members] have been absolutely fantastic and it has been shared by a lot of companies out there. In particular, beauticians and hairdressers who have had to close for now have been donating masks and different things. People are just so, so kind.”
The items the hospital requires include masks, goggles, visors, any type of surgical gowns, face shields, mop caps, latex gloves, plastic aprons and shoe covers.
Geraldine says the response they have received since first putting the information out has been very strong, and has extended well beyond Sligo.
“People are contacting us from all over the region,” she says.
“We have people coming from Sligo, but from Donegal, Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, and north Mayo. The third level colleges too - they’ve cleared out labs and have donated certain stuff to the hospital. It’s amazing the amount of people and products out there that can help.”
Geraldine also praised the foresight of hospital management to seek out help from local industry to the PPE shortage.
“It’s not just Sligo University Hospital that has a shortage of this gear, it’s every hospital in the country. But you have to admire Sligo University Hospital, they were the first out of the blocks and knew industry could help and they were so right. Other hospitals are now following their lead.
“Anything that can be donated would be greatly appreciated.”
If you or your business have any of the items required by the hospital, you can email gcourtenay@sligochamber.ie to arrange and get more information.