Monday, May 11, 2020 – The Ministry of Health reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund, soon after the committee was established, seeking assistance to procure much needed supplies to support the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic. The committee immediately responded and after discussions with representatives from the Ministry of Health, committed to support the financing of critical medical supplies and protective equipment. To date the Fund has expended $1,296,415.00 towards the acquisition of the following items:
• 15,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Units
• 5,000 Medical Goggles
• 5,000 Medical Shield Masks
• 1 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) System
• 2 Housing Units
• 14 Ventilators.
Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund and Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Officer, Belize Bank Limited, met with Ms. Ana Bennett, Accountant General, Treasury Department of Belize, to hand over a cheque for payment of the ventilators which recently arrived into the country. The personal protective equipment (PPE), medical goggles and shield masks are also expected to arrive into the country in the coming weeks.
The donation of these items is a part of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund’s commitment to support the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Health, the country and the people of Belize to ensure that we stay prepared for any impact from COVID-19.
The committee continues to liaise with the Ministry of Health on an ongoing basis towards providing further assistance for supplies and equipment.