Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA, May 28 (EI) — The International Commette of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Thursday said that it is assisting the local production of 3,000 face-shields in support of the Horn of Africa country’s fight against the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
On Wednesday, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health reported 30 new COVID-19 positive cases, bringing the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to 731.
“The ICRC is assisting six physical rehabilitation centers in four regions of Ethiopia to manufacture locally 3,000 face shields in support of the fight against the coronavirus in the country,” the ICRC said in a statement sent to the Ethiopian Informer on Thursday.
According to the ICRC, the first series of locally manufactured products will be soon handed over to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health for testing and conformity validation.
Once approved, the production will be carried out, it was noted. The face shields are expected to be used by medical personnel working at COVID-19 treatment centers established in various parts of the country.
“The face shields will enable health professionals treating COVID-19 patients in a safe mode by reducing significantly the risk of getting infected,” an ICRC statement quoted Francois Friedel, Physical Rehabilitation Program Manager at ICRC, as saying.
Each of the six physical rehabilitation centers are expected to produce 500 face shields, as a first target, which will be handed over to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health for distribution among the treatment centers, it was noted.
The face shields can be reused and are easily cleaned with soap and water, or common household disinfectants, it was noted.
In Ethiopia, ICRC`s response to COVID-19 outbreak focuses mainly on supplying infection prevention and control items and other essential items to communities and health institutions, including vulnerable people including detainees, persons with physical disabilities and internally displaced people in support of containing the spread of the virus, it was noted.
The Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) had in April announced a five-month state of emergency rule that envisaged containing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
