Masks for Medics raised over R500 000 during the first and second waves of COVID-19; now, they are preparing for the third wave to avoid being caught off-guard.
South Africa (06 May 2021) – To prepare for the imminent third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Masks for Medics, a non-profit initiative based in Cape Town, South Africa, is re-launching its crowdfunding campaign to supply non-hospital-based frontline healthcare workers with medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE).
Masks for Medics was established by a group of caring family doctors in Cape Town in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Borne out of the profound understanding that in order for individuals, families, and communities to be kept safe during the impending pandemic surge, it is imperative that healthcare workers on the front line are provided with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to feel secure and not under threat whilst they do the crucial work necessary to save lives.
Dr Anthony Smith, Dr Lauren Lee, Dr Sonia Hough, Dr Julie Etellin, Dr Sarahan Brophy, and Dr Natalia Novikova are the committed doctors who make up the Masks for Medics team.
Over the last 10 months, with tremendous support from generous donors both locally and internationally, as well as over R547 000 raised through their crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, Masks for Medics has supported frontline workers by:
- Distributing PPE to 212 individuals and 386 institutions, including 29 102 gowns, 345 080 aprons, 251 535 surgical masks, 29 248 respirator masks, 10 484 visors, 11 286 gloves, 18 792 sanitiser bottles, 401 pulse oximetry monitors and 478 thermometers – all medical grade.
- They have also provided 261 sanitiser foot pedals and 328 Perspex screen dividers to allow elderly care facilities to continue allowing visitors and to keep administrative staff safe.
Preparing for a third wave
With the increase of COVID-19 cases and an imminent third wave, Masks for Medics aims to broaden their beneficiary base within the Western Cape province to include homeless shelters and more feeding schemes with a continued focus on Elderly Care Facilities and individual Healthcare Workers, ensuring that those who are frontline carers receive medically certified PPE. This will not only keep them safe but also the children, the elderly and the sick in our communities.
“We call on those who can to please donate generously and assist us in fulfilling our mandate of keeping our Frontline Workers safe! Please support our BackaBuddy campaign and help grow our emergency relief fund. This will directly impact us all and help Masks for Medics in caring for the carers,” says Dr Julie Etellin, one of the founding doctors of Masks for Medics.
You can support the team in their preparations via BackaBuddy here.
All donors to this campaign are eligible to receive a Section 18a Tax Certificate upon request issued by PBO, The Angel Network.
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