The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has donated personal protective equipment to the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital to support frontline health workers during COVID-19
GONDAR, Ethiopia (UoG) – Ethiopian Universities, for the past five months, have terminated all of their face-to-face lectures due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Scores of individuals across the country continue to face the reality that the virus is here to stay and that normal day lifestyles have been changed at least until the unforeseeable future. The country of Ethiopia is preparing to battle the Pandemic until the very end and is doing all that it can to prevent a catastrophe.
At the University of Gondar (UoG), many of the medical staff have been working around the clock to create an environment of safety, awareness and understanding of the pandemic. By catering to a catchment area of over 6 million people, the University’s medical staff are among the first line of defense.
To bolster the efforts of the University, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has donated numerous personal protective equipment to UoG’s Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, located in the City of Gondar, Northern Ethiopia. The donation, which is worth an estimated 1.1 million Ethiopian Birr, will go a long way in helping the doctors, nurses and lab technicians in ensuring the lives of patients are preserved.
The donated equipment, that will greatly support frontline health/medical workers, include protective masks, face shields, medical gowns and sanitizers.
The Mastercard Foundation (MCF), which is based in Canada, is a close partner to the University of Gondar. The Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world.
Established in 2016, the MCF Scholars Program at the University of Gondar has opened its doors to talented people with disabilities and disadvantages for a once in a lifetime scholarship. Over a 10-year span, the Program will admit 450 talented youth who will become Africa’s next generation of transformative leaders.
Source: UoG