Standard Chartered Bank has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Prampram Polyclinic.

The PPE, which include N95 masks, disposable coveralls and surgical gloves come on the backdrop of these areas becoming key testing and isolation centres, as the fight against COVID-19 continues in the country.

With such responsibility comes an increased risk of COVID-19 exposure, especially with the gradual ease of restrictions.

Hence, the support to make them as efficient as possible.

Receiving the donations on behalf of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Mr. Effah Yeboah, Director of Administration of the Hospital said: "The items have come on time. As the biggest teaching and referral hospital in the northern sector, we utilise PPE quickly.

"We hope more institutions will follow Standard Chartered and donate to augment our supplies for the frontline staff."

Ms Asiedua Addae, the Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Standard Chartered Bank, Ghana Limited, while presenting the items said, "There still remains a lot more work to be done in the battle against COVID-19. As life gradually transitions to the new normal, it is easy to forget the common enemy.

"Our brand promise, 'Here for Good', continues to keep us committed in this fight and our doors are always open to the prospect of making a difference in the community."

"More so, our frontline health workers continue to be prone to infection. It is, therefore, imperative that we support them, now more than ever, still bearing in mind that the virus has not yet been defeated," added Ms Asiedua.

Dr. Kareem Mummini, CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, expressed his joy at the presentation and commended Standard Chartered Bank for its unrelenting efforts to combat the virus.

"We are all aware of the extensive support you have given to hospitals across the country. Our hospital and, indeed, the entire medical fraternity appreciates your donations," he said.

Dr. Beryl Karikari, Chief Medical Officer of

the Prampram Polyclinic, for her part, said, "On behalf of the staff of the Polyclinic, especially our frontline workers I would like to express our gratitude for the PPE that will be key in meeting the high demand for supplies at the Hospital."

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and Prampram Polyclinic join a list of five hospitals that have previously received COVID-19 support from Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited since the pandemic.

To date, Standard Chartered Bank has donated more than 10,000 PPE to hospitals in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Northern Regions of Ghana.

The Bank also donated a portable Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment each to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research to assist in conducting widespread testing and detection of COVID-19 in Ghana.