If you’ve got spare medical masks, goggles, gloves, face shields or any other type of medical personal protective equipment, Hawaii’s hospitals would like you to consider donating them.
Spearheaded by Kohala resident Kean Wong, www.supporthawaii.org has teamed up with KTA Super Stores, HPM Building Supply and K. Takata Store to create a quick and convenient way to provide front-line medical workers with desperately-needed supplies.
“The idea of the program was really to set up a convenient way to donate them that didn’t require people to have to go to hospitals,” said Wong. “We’re just trying to see what else is out there in the community.”
Wong started organizing the project in March after learning the Big Island’s hospitals would likely need additional PPE in the midst of a global shortage due to the coronavirus pandemic that’s sickened more than 1.3 million and killed over 70,000. In Hawaii alone, there have been 387 cases of COVID-19 confirmed and five deaths as of noon Monday.
On Monday, all seven Big Island KTA stores, three HPM Building Supply stores and the K. Takata Store in Hawi positioned a donation bin at their entrances where PPE can be dropped.
Wong hopes to keep medical centers and hospitals supplied at a time when global supply is inadequate to meet the current demand.
“The vendors we usually purchase (PPE) from are unable to supply us with our orders,” said Natasha Ala, director of marketing, development and grants at the West Hawaii Community Health Center. “It’s a challenge that everyone is facing right now.”
Bins at each location will initially be transported to hospitals every two days, though Wong hopes the frequency will increase with a strong community response. He added that the organization is accepting volunteers to help transport donations from pickup locations to the hospital, as well as in their efforts to provide 3D print face shields.
“There are about a dozen 3D printers we have, but we certainly want as many as we can get a hold of,” said Wong. “In the next couple of days, we hope to choose a couple of designs: one for health care workers and one that’s a little easier and faster to make that we’re hoping to get out to people working in essential services.
“I talked to someone who worked at Walmart yesterday; she’s a cashier. I met her in Ace Hardware looking for plastic to make face shields on her own because the people in the stores are frankly seeing a lot of people every day, a lot of customers. They’re wanting some sort of protection, too,” he continued.
For information on how to donate or volunteer, visit www.supporthawaii.org; those looking to make large donations can contact the program directly at ppe.program@supporthawaii.org.
Wong remains hopeful the program will be able to keep the Big Island’s medical centers running smoothly, though he admits the effect will likely be tough to measure.
“It’s one of these things where if we do it right, there’s very little visible outcome,” said Wong. “Meaning that we’re preventing hospitalizations and community transmission.”
Ala added she hopes it can make an impact in keeping the West Hawaii Community Health Center’s front-line clinical staff safe.
“That’s our No. 1 priority,” she said. “To protect the safety of the community as well as the frontline staff.”