The Tribune

THE shortage of Personal Protection Equipment has been a problem for countries all over the world since the COVID-19 crisis first exploded.

Suddenly under-funded health services were overwhelmed with requests for face masks, gloves, boots, hand sanitiser – and in numbers they could never imagine they would need.

Companies which supplied PPE - not just to health services but to businesses and the public - turned to their usual suppliers to meet the tsunami of requests for equipment descending on them.

In-house stocks were quickly run down. Governments, like here in The Bahamas, were quickly aware of the potential for crisis and urged local businesses to adapt and see if they could help meet PPE demand.

The situation was suddenly made dramatically worse when the US - one of the biggest manufacturers of PPE equipment in the world - put a block on all PPE exports to ensure its own health requirements were met first. Some exceptions were made with orders held up at US ports by the export embargo given the go-ahead after individual requests were made.

Here in Nassau, Bahamas Medical and Surgical Suppliers realized early in the COVID crisis it would have to find alternative sources if it were to meet the demands that the whole country was going to face.

China was the only viable option but a complicated - and lengthy - sourcing operation would have to take place ensuring quality controls were met and that permission to fulfil any export orders were approved by the authorities in Beijing.

On Saturday the company’s extraordinary efforts paid off when a Boeing 747-400 fully loaded with 130,000 pounds of PPE equipment touched down at Lynden Pindling Airport and over the next few days passed through Bahamian customs.

This mountain of PPE equipment now sits in BMSS’ warehouse ready to meet as many requests as are made of it.

A similar tale can be told by John Watling’s Distillery.

Just a few months ago then-Health Minister Dr Duane Sands was on hand when the company retooled part of its operation to produce badly needed hand-sanitiser drawing on large stocks of alcohol it had originally earmarked for producing liquor.

Originally sales were ahead of expectations as the desperate local market suddenly found a local supplier to replenish this vital tool in the fight with COVID.

“We have more than enough in stock to last for the foreseeable future,” said a spokesman for the company.

“For some reason in July sales dropped off. We have a warehouse full ready to ship out. I am not sure what the problem is and why people have been running short.”