A call for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical students at The University of the West Indies (UWI) is paying off. Some are now receiving masks, gowns, face shields, and hand sanitisers, vital equipment needed for those on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

The organisers, and those that have received help, are grateful. But there are calls for more assistance so other students may benefit,”

“We are calling on every single Jamaican to make a donation… to purchase PPE for our students,” UWI Guild President Sujae Boswell told the Jamaica Observer. “The reality is they are being trained now to be the next front line workers, and so [any] assistance… would be an investment in [our] future front line and essential workers. In fact, the duties that they have to do now on the wards are contributing to the support needed in the health care system.”

He added that the aim is to ensure that the drive is as effective as possible, and pointed out that students of nursing, radiography, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are all in need of equipment.

The “Gi Wi Personal Protective Equipment” (#GiWiPPE) Drive was launched in October after students took to social media to complain that they were being asked to pay for their own PPE. The drive is a team effort by UWI Mona Guild of Students, Faculty of Medical Sciences representative Rajay Smith and The UWI administration. Earlier this year, The UWI advised that the impact that COVID-19 has had on its bottom line has made it difficult to cover the $20,000 monthly cost of medical students’ PPE. Students were vocal in their objection to being asked to absorb the cost. Many threw their support behind the drive to get donations. According to Boswell, organisations such as UWI Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF), Jamaica National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as a number of individuals have pledged future donations.

The latest contributor, UWI alumnus Ibrahim Konteh, donated 1,050 masks, 50 gowns, 10 hand sanitisers and five face shields.

Konteh explained that after seeing Boswell’s tweet about the #GiWiPPE Drive he thought that asking students to face an additional unforeseen expense in the middle of a pandemic was cruel. So he decided to help.

“I’ll ask others to contribute in any way that they can. It is a worthwhile initiative and the students are definitely in need,” he said. “They are going to be our future first responders so any way we can help them along their way, it will be more than appreciated. They already have things hard as it is. Every mickle mek a muckle, any small or significant way you can help, I’m sure it will be greatly appreciated,” he urged.

In making his donation Konteh enlisted the support of his mother Rosemarie Broadbell who is the director of J n J Medical Services in Maryland. He plans to make another contribution in January.