• Equity Group Foundation will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund in this endeavour.
Image: FILE
The family of Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi has contributed Sh300 million to the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund.
In a statement on Wednesday, Equity Bank said it also contributed Sh300 million and MasterCard has put in Sh500 million.
Equity Group Foundation, with support from the Mastercard Foundation, announced that the money will be channeled towards providing Personal Protective Equipment to front line medical staff dealing with Covid-19 patients in public hospitals in Kenya.
EGF will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund in this endeavour.
“It started when my attention was drawn to a group of students and doctors who were raising funds for PPEs for young post graduate students especially in Kenyatta National and Referral Hospital," Mwangi said.
“When I shared the need with my family, a robust discussion revealed the urgency to holistically address the issue as it was not prudent to provide the PPEs to students without also focusing on the plight of the doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and medical staff."
Mwangi said he then invited the CEO of the Kenya Medical Association and a group of doctors from KNH and University of Nairobi where they established the need for PPEs for medical staff handling Covid-19 patients in the country.
"A team of seven was formed to help structure this initiative,” Mwangi said.
He expressed gratitude to medical professionals who subsequently formed a steering committee to organise the immense task of coordinating and actualising this initiative.
The committee will coordinate the implementation of the initiative to ensure availability of PPEs across the country and will help to scale up a mental wellness support system for medical staff initiated by the Kenya Medical Association.
Equity Bank Chairman Professor Isaac Macharia said, “The Board of Equity recognizes the vital role of health care workers on the front line and is proud to partner with universities and public hospitals in ensuring the safety of our health care workers.”