Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan Brendan Smith raised again with the Minister for Health the need to ensure adequate supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front-line health-care personnel.
Deputy Smith commented, “The Minister for Health needs to ensure healthcare workers across the board are provided with adequate Personal Protective Equipment. As the country slowly begins to bring back some more routine health services in hospital settings and in the community the Minister needs to ensure all healthcare staff have access to PPE.
“I have also called on the Minister to ensure that adequate supplies of PPE are made available to all residential care facilities, including public and private, section 39 providers and all front-line personnel working in the community.
“In his response the Minister did say, “PPE is distributed by the HSE via a central allocation system that incorporates the State’s entire healthcare setting requirements, including nursing homes (public and private), NAS, and Section 38 and 39 service providers. This centralised approach is in line with WHO guidance on coordinating PPE supply during the Covid-19 pandemic”.
“It is essential that health-care personnel have the appropriate equipment at all times for their work in these very challenging and difficult times. We all appreciate the inspirational work of so many in dealing with this pandemic and the State has to ensure the best possible support for all front-line workers,” concluded Deputy Smith.