With a presence in 14 African countries, the SUNU Group had contributed towards the fight of the Coronavirus pandemic in Africa with a donation of N15 million worth of PPE to the Lagos State Government.
The company, which operates in Nigeria as SUNU Health Nigeria Limited (A Health Maintenance Organisation) and SUNU Assurance Plc (A General Insurance Company) had, on Friday, May 8, visited the Lagos State Government’s ware house, in Lekki, with the package.
Managing Director/CEO of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, Dr. Patrick Korie, said that the company was aware of the efforts made by the respective countries in Africa to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and had decided to contribute to the effort to fight COVID-19 in the countries where they operate.
According to him, “The effort of Nigeria in the fight against COVID-19 is commendable and we wish to contribute to this effort by donating Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) of aboutN15 million for use of healthcare workers especially the General Hospital Gbagada, Infectious Disease Hospital Yaba and Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi-Araba, Lagos.”
The personal protective equipment donated by the company includes masks, splash resistant suits, goggles which are aimed at helping the front line workers protect themselves in the fight against the pandemic.
Chairman, SUNU Assurances PLC and SUNU Health, Kyari Abba Bukar, said that the PPE were the company’s contribution to fighting the pandemic all across Africa stating that there had been similar donations in the thirteen other African countries where the company is present.
The chairman believes that the company had taken a step in the right direction as against sharing food to the less privileged because, “this is just as good as saving lives first before food issue comes up.”
Justifying the rationale behind the donation, Dr. Korie maintained that doctors and other healthcare workers are getting infected with the virus all over the world, which had tickled the concerns of the management of the company, “we need our doctors to be hale and hearty in order to deliver care so we decided to give them these PPE so that they get protected.
“In Nigeria, the figures are rising, more healthcare workers are getting infected by the day and we are alarmed. If all the healthcare workers are infected, who will take care of the populace?”
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In respect to insurance, Managing Director/CEO of Sunu Assurance PLC, Samuel Ogbodu, said that the company had done a lot already for health care workers by providing health insurance for front line workers, group life.
He stated that all the insurance companies in the industry, SUNU inclusive, contributed money towards the payment of the premium for the cover.
He, however, urged other insurance companies to help protect front line workers by providing all the necessary insurance.
On his part, Manager of Lagos State medical warehouse, Lekki, Olajide Razak, where the PPE were donated, thanked the group on behalf of the Lagos State government stating that, “A drop of water makes a mighty ocean. So, if we come together, we will deal with Coronavirus the way we ought to.”