The McGowan Government has welcomed another freight aircraft of critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Perth, further strengthening our ability to protect frontline staff in the COVID-19 response.
The latest delivery is on top of PPE supplies received in the past fortnight. Deliveries over the past two weeks include:
- 275,000 isolation gowns;
- 35,000 surgical packs;
- 3.5 million gloves; and
- one million packs of disinfectant wipes.
The McGowan Government has increased its purchasing of PPE since COVID-19. This latest delivery is in addition to more than $9 million worth of PPE delivered direct via aircrafts to the Western Australian Department of Health.
The equipment will help to meet current demand, prepare for any increase in COVID-19 positive patients and accommodate plans for hospitals to be back at full elective surgery activity by June 15.
The PPE will be prioritised for Western Australia's public hospitals, however, there may be potential to also provide stock to other agencies and community services as part of the broader McGowan Government response.
For the latest weekly key COVID-19 supplies update visit the Department of Health website.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"The protection of our healthcare staff is paramount and it is absolutely crucial that we have the right PPE for them to do their job and look after the people of WA safely.
"This delivery builds certainty in our current stocks of the critical equipment we need to fight this pandemic, and is timely as our hospitals shortly move back to full elective surgery activity.
"Although the COVID-19 case numbers remain very encouraging, we cannot afford to be complacent. The best thing we can do is to continue to prepare our clinics and hospitals for any increased pressure that a rise in positive cases could bring."
