US medical worker coronavirus
Picture for illustrative purposes: a medical staffer with face mask and PPE Image Credit: AFP

Dubai: Consumer goods firm Procter and Gamble has donated one million face masks and 100,000 hand sanitisers each in both UAE and Saudi Arabia to support frontline medical staff.

Omar Channawi, CEO of P&G Middle East, East & West Africa and General Export Markets, said: “In service to people on the frontlines who are caring for their families and communities, P&G is stepping up and serving our everyday heroes as a force for good. Key P&G sites which manufacture household brands have been expanded to produce essential safety items such as masks and hand sanitisers. We will initially donate one million masks and 100,000 hand sanitisers in the UAE to support the battle against COVID-19.

“P&G Protect Our Heroes mission is a key step in contributing towards communities in which we operate and support the heroes that are protecting all of us in these unprecedented times,” he added. “Through a highly collaborative effort, we will ensure the health and safety of our employees, maximise the availability of products and help society meet and overcome the challenges it faces.”

In addition, under the response and relief program, “P&G Protect Our Heroes”, P&G is also serving communities with the following initiatives across the Middle East, East and West Africa:

  • Manufacturing masks and Safeguard hand sanitisers for donation across the Middle East
  • Extending support to frontline workers and families affected by COVID-19 through in-kind and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) donations
  • Providing essential product donations to relief agencies and governments to support healthcare workers including Always, Safeguard, Gillette, Fairy and Ariel
  • Leveraging advertising voice to recognise & support health care workers and increase awareness on safety & hygiene measures among the community
  • Supporting online learning programs for children of determination in UAE
  • P&G is also matching employees’ personal donation to support the combat against COVID-19

Channawi added: “We want to make a significant difference to the communities we operate in by leveraging our resources, our innovation, our manufacturing and our voice to contribute towards making their lives better in these extreme circumstances.”

P&G has a long history of supporting our communities in times of need all around the world. Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, P&G globally has stepped up its commitment to be a force for good and has been working with long-standing partner organisations to provide support to communities, relief agencies and people impacted by this challenging situation. So far, globally P&G’s in-kind, product and monetary donations add up to tens of millions of dollars across more than 200 relief organisations, more than 30 brands in more than 30 countries.