BK Group Plc has donated 1,250 personal protective equipment (PPE) worth Rwf10 million to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to help medical personnel get protected from Covid-19.

The event was held on May 28, 2021, at offices of Rwanda Medical Supply – a public company under RBC, whose mandate is managing the end-to-end health supply chain for Rwanda – in Kigali.

The PPE consists of coveralls as protective clothing for healthcare personnel from potential exposures to this infectious viral disease during patient care.

Marc L. Holtzman Chairman board of Directors BK Group PLC during the ceremony of handover of the personal protective equipment at Rwanda medical supply on May 28, 2021. Dan Nsengiyumva

Marc Holtzman, Chairman of BK Group said that BK Group is delighted to make this contribution to RBC, commending the work that the medical personnel is doing in this difficult time occasioned by the pandemic.

 "BK Group stands with those who are first responders and who are meeting the needs of the people of Rwanda during the recovery from this pandemic. It’s a small contribution that hopefully will affect the lives of many people,” pledging to do much more in the future.

Rwanda Medical Supply CEO, Pie Harerimana said that this support is important in tackling the pandemic.

Dr. Gatete Swaibu, head of the biomedical service department at RBC, Marc L. Holtzman Chairman board of Directors BK Group PLC, Pie Harerimana CEO Rwanda medical supply during the ceremony of handover of the 1250 personal protective equipment at Rwanda medical supply office on May 28, 2021. Dan Nsengiyumva

"We appreciate this timely support and we are delighted to work with BK Group that understands what our people need,… we shall continue working together,” he said.

Dr. Gatare Swaibu, Head of Biomedical Services Department at RBC said that the coveralls are part of PPE which are used for infection prevention and control (IPC) among different healthcare providers who reach out to the Covid-19 infected patients.

"They need to be protected because they are so much exposed than any other person. This is a boost to us to continue responding to this pandemic. We are really grateful to BK Group Plc,” he said.

As of May 27, 2021, 26,843 people had contracted Covid-19, while 351 had died from it in Rwanda, according to data from the Ministry of Health.