As part of efforts towards combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Nigeria, FoodCo Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of FoodCo Nigeria Limited, has donated medical equipment to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to Ade Sun-Basorun, a Trustee of FoodCo Foundation and CEO, FoodCo Nigeria Limited, the gesture was in demonstration of the company’s commitment towards supporting the health sector in building capacity to meet the challenges posed by the disease which has become a global crisis.
Speaking on the donation, Sun-Basorun said: “On behalf of FoodCo Nigeria Limited, we would like to seize this opportunity to, firstly, salute the courage and dedication of medical personnel at UCH and all over the world who are in the frontline of the battle against the COVID-19 disease. The world is going through a major challenge and now, more than ever, we need the collaborative effort of all stakeholders in order to triumph.”
“While we may be unable to join the medical community in the frontlines, this donation is a token of our commitment towards mitigating the effects of the disease even as the world works towards finding a cure. We are optimistic that with the continued and combined interventions of the various stakeholder communities including government, business and academics, our medical teams will be encouraged as they carry on in the battle until the virus is defeated,” he added.
Receiving the donation on behalf of UCH, Dr. Akinmoladun Victor, Head of Department, Stores, thanked FoodCo for the kind gesture, noting that it would provide relief both in easing some of challenges confronting the hospital in providing effective care for patients and in the overall management of the disease.
“We are grateful to FoodCo for this intervention because it is coming at a critical time in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in Nigeria. We urge other well-meaning corporate bodies to emulate FoodCo by joining in the fight as it affects us all,” he said.
Items donated include a patient monitoring machine, oxygen concentrator and suction machine.