BY MELISSA ROLLOCK | JAN 12, 2023 | CORONA VIRUS
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, The Most Honourable Janet Phillips, officially receives the donation of hand sanitizers from Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Brazil, Carlos Kessel. They are flanked by Chief Medical Officer, Dr. The Most Honourable, Kenneth George and Counsellor with the Embassy, Diana Valle. (M. Rollock/BGIS)
The Embassy of Brazil has gifted the Ministry of Health and Wellness with approximately 43,000 litres of hand sanitisers to assist with COVID-19 prevention measures.
Minister Counsellor at the Embassy, Carlos Kessel, officially presented the donation to Permanent Secretary, The Most Honourable Janet Phillips, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. The Most Honourable Kenneth George, this morning at the Ministry’s Culloden Road, St. Michael headquarters.
While expressing her gratitude for the generous donation, Mrs. Phillips told Mr. Kessel the hand sanitisers would not only be distributed to health care institutions but also to public and private primary and secondary schools.
She added that other institutions, such as the Barbados Youth Service and the Barbados Police Service, would benefit from the Embassy’s gift as well.
“We are going to share our bounty. We will give a year’s supply to the schools. School children are now allowed not to wear masks if they don’t want to and we know that sometimes that is an issue for [some] teachers. If you have kids, you know kids are always all over you; they touch you; they pick their noses…. So, we just want to thank you so much for this donation,” she stated.
Mr. Kessel commended Ministry officials for their efforts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said while people were returning to their normal activities, it was still important that they remain mindful of prevention measures, such as hand sanitisation.
He added that the Embassy of Brazil would continue to work with the Ministry in the area of health care, and by extension the Government of Barbados in other areas of cooperation.
