KARACHI-As part of the Rs1 billion Hussain Dawood Pledge, Engro Foundation – the social investment arm of Engro Corporation –has launched an initiative to donate 459,000 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) worth Rs100 million for frontline healthcare practitioners. In the first phase, 104,000 units of protective gear worth Rs20 million have already been delivered to 12 hospitals and medical centres in Karachi, Thar, Multan, Lahore, Gujrat, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Muzzafargarh, Quetta and Mardan. The donated protective equipment includes face masks, safety gowns, face shields, surgical gloves and intubation boxes. For this initiative, Engro is closely collaborating with the NDMA and provincial governments to identify short medical supplies, most-impacted areas and health institutions that require urgent support in the battle against COVID-19. Ghias Khan, President & CEO of Engro Corporation, appreciated the continued support, close coordination and assistance extended by Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal, Chairman NDMA, for distribution of the PPEs. Ghias Khan said that, “Healthcare practitioners and other key frontline staff are our heroes and a national asset, who need to be protected and enabled to dispense uninterrupted patient care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the last figures, it is alarming that more than 1900 frontline health care providers in Pakistan have contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty. We hope that this humble contribution will help the medical staff feel safer when treating patients affected by this highly contagious virus.” According to Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal, “The nature of the job puts healthcare workers at an increased risk of being infected with COVID-19. If they catch the disease, it will strain an already burdened healthcare system and adversely affect Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19. Therefore, we would like to highly appreciate Engro for this PPE distribution that will protect our health workers and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.” The PPE donation initiative is part of the Rs1 billion pledge made by Mr. Hussain Dawood, Chairman of Engro Corporation and Dawood Hercules Corporation. Under this pledge, the Group is supporting COVID-19 relief efforts in services, cash and kind on multiple fronts.