KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and UNAIDS yesterday donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to several groups to enable them to continue to provide support to some of the island’s most vulnerable populations while protecting their own staff against COVID-19.

According to PAHO, the supplies, which included face shields, surgical masks, hand sanitisers, liquid soap and infrared thermometers, were distributed to seven community organisations that address the needs of disadvantaged children and adolescents, people living with HIV, the transgender community and those requiring legal assistance.

The organisation said the quantity of the products should support each organisation and its staff for the next six months.

The organisations that received donations are Eve for Life, Children First Agency, Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, the Jamaica Community of Women Living with HIV, Jamaicans for Justice, the Jamaica Network of Seropositives and Transwave.

PAHO/WHO representative for Jamaica, Dr Bernadette Theodore-Gandi said “protecting the rights of the most vulnerable to access safe and equitable healthcare is at the core of PAHO’s work.”

“We are pleased to be able to support these essential organisations so they can continue to provide life-saving services to those in need,” she added.

UNAIDS country director for Jamaica, Manoela Manova said “community and civil society organisations are among those providing essential services to the most affected, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.”

“We are happy to provide PPE that will enable them to do this critical health and social work while keeping their staff and clients protected,” she added.

The funding for the relief package was mobilised through the United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which aims to address service disruptions to vulnerable communities.