The Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust purchased $1.3 million worth of personal protective equipment for several West Virginia hospitals and first responders.
“These are difficult times and we as West Virginians need to unite and stand together as West Virginians,” Stephen Farmer, chairman of the Ruby McQuain Board of Trustees said Tuesday, when the gift was announced.
The purchase, coordinated through the West Virginia University Health System, includes 1.149 million procedural masks, 163,025 surgical masks, 116,120 N95 respirators, 290,180 disposable gowns, 29,400 pairs of protective goggles and glasses and 40,000 disposable suits.
Recipients of the PPE will include the hospitals of WVU Medicine, Monongalia EMS, Roane General Hospital, Wheeling Hospital, Princeton Community Hospital, Davis Health System, Minnie Hamilton Health System, Weirton Medical Center, Thomas Health System, Boone Memorial Hospital and Mountain Health System.
The PPE should be delivered within the week, said Albert Wright, president and CEO of West Virginia University Health System. It should last until the end of May, he said.
The donation from Ruby McQuain Trust was serendipitous, Wright said.
“One day last week I got a call (from Farmer) and he said now is the time for people with the means to step up,” Wright said.
Further helping matters was that WVU Health System had registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an importer after trying unsuccessfully to obtain the protective equipment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and various state organizations, Wright said. By having that certification, WVU Health can negotiate directly with overseas suppliers. And in this case, those suppliers were in China and Vietnam.
“Now, more than ever, is the time for those who can help to step forward to help our hospitals and first responders during the COVID-19 crisis,” Farmer said.
“Our challenge to everyone who can help is to jump in and do so. Every bit helps and our doctors, nurses and health care professionals need our support. We need to protect our health care professionals so they can safely protect us.”
Even after the COVID-19 surge ends, the virus will remain. Hospitals, already dealing with the state’s opioid crisis, will have to ramp up again and perform any of the elective surgeries that have been deferred during the ongoing pandemic and the equipment donated by the Ruby McQuain Trust will be needed, Wright said.
“This is an incredibly kind and generous donation and the timing of it could not be better,” Wright said.
“This gift will save lives.”
TWEET @41Suzanne
