Full Support Group donate 1.6 million face masks to Gambian Charity
With the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, face masks have become a vital resource in preventing the spread of the virus. This has led to an increase in price and a decrease in availability, making it particularly difficult for organisations in developing countries to obtain them.
With this in mind, Full Support, a leading PPE manufacturer and supplier, has partnered with the Ida Bass Kidney Foundation to provide 1.6 million Easimask Type II Face Masks free of charge to a number of good causes in The Gambia.
The Ida Bass Kidney Foundation was founded by Sailey Fladsrud in June 2013, shortly after her mother, Ida Bass, was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease in The Gambia, where Sailey is from. The Gambia only had 3 dialysis machines for the whole country at the time and this lack of lifesaving treatment meant Sailey’s mother, Ida, sadly passed away in September 2013.
As part of their mission to improve the health and well-being of individuals suffering from kidney disease and increase the availability of dialysis treatment, the Ida Bass Kidney Foundation set up a brand new 14-bed dialysis centre in The Gambia in 2015. This was made possible with the support of the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton, who donated 12 dialysis machines and Veolia Water Technologies who donated the RO to the foundation.
As a dialysis treatment centre, patients and staff are required to spend hours at a time in close proximity with each other, potentially putting them at risk of contracting Coronavirus. The donation of face masks will help to ensure safeguards can be put in place to help minimise the risk of cross infection for some of the most vulnerable people.
With the help of international supply chain specialists Ligentia, who generously delivered the donation free of charge, the 1.6 million face mask donation from Full Support was sent to the Ministry of Health in Banjul, The Gambia – where it was then distributed to the Ida Bass Haemodialysis Centre as well as many other local hospitals, health centres, councils and schools.
A representative of Full Support Healthcare said: “After hearing about the amazing work Sailey and her team are doing in The Gambia, we wanted to help reduce some of the hinderance the Coronavirus pandemic has caused them. As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of PPE, we reached out and were delighted to be taken up on our offer to donate 1.6 million disposable face masks.”
Sailey Flasdrud added: “On behalf of everyone involved with the Ida Bass Kidney Foundation, are sincerely thankful for the donation of 1.6 million face masks from Full Support, which will be used to help keep some of the most vulnerable people in The Gambia safe during their time of need.”
Whilst the Ida Bass Kidney Foundation have already done so much brilliant work to improve the quality and availability of healthcare in The Gambia, there is still much more to be done. As they move into the next phase for the charity, they find that the demand for their support consistently outstrips what they’re able to provide, meaning the staff at the centre have to make the heart-breaking decisions of who should receive treatment and who they just can’t help.
In order to address the ever-growing waiting list of patients, Sailey and her team are looking to set up a second centre with the help of Manchester Royal Infirmary, Leeds General Infirmary, Royal Stoke, New Cross, St. George’s, Freeman and maybe even you.
You can read more about the Ida Bass Kidney Foundation on their website as well as information on how you can help support this fantastic charity.