Islamabad: 1,000 sanitary workers provided PPEs for free

ISLAMABAD: In a recognition of their services in the battle against the novel coronavirus and the acknowledgment that they too expose themselves to the dangers of the coronavirus, 1,000 sanitary workers were provided personal protective equipment (PPE) kits on Friday. 

The event was arranged at the cricket ground of Sector-F-7, right behind the ‘Flower Market’ opposite Jinnah Super Market. The sanitary workers from the concerned CDA Directorate, who were invited to the event, squatted on the ground, an exemplary display of maintaining social distancing. 

The voice to provide PPEs to sanitary workers was first raised from the platform of the Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL) when the COVID-19 pandemic started gaining momentum. But it was mainly focused on the nurses, paramedics and janitors working the ‘COVID-19 Wards’ or emergency departments in the hospitals where they were exposed to the deadly virus.

However, the people at the Interfaith-League Against Poverty (I-LAP) have been contemplating the idea of providing some good quality PPE kits to sanitary workers as well. It was the wish of the league to provide these kits for sanitary workers all over Pakistan but it was beyond their means.

Hence the I-LAP started preparations to collect enough material to make comprehensive PPE kits most suited to the needs and requirements of 1,000 sanitary workers.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Interfaith League (PIL), Sajid Ishaq only wanted the kit to be effective, efficient and strong enough to last for some time through the rigors of daily work of the sanitary workers.

Ms Nazia Ansari, the Executive Director of I-LAP, thought to maintain the maximum preventive and security features in the PPE kits, pretty in line with the international standards. Thus they embarked upon this ‘mission’ to reach out and help sanitary workers. 

Eventually what Ms Nazia Ansari came up for a PPE kit was "sturdy coveralls (washable), rubber gloves, heavy-duty rubber boots, goggles, face masks and helmets".

Originally published in The News