The increasingly worrisome development of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia has also impacted the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical workers. PPE is important to reduce the rate of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. To help with this predicament, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) donated PPE assistance in the form of 500 face shields to the Regional Government of Klaten, Central Java.

The face shields which are products of the Plastic Technology Laboratory of the Mechanical Engineering Study Program was handed over directly by the UMY rector, Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto., M.P., IPM on Thursday (5/14). Gunawan said that the donation was one of UMY’s contributions to address concerns about the availability of PPE.

“Indonesia has the ability to produce PPE in large quantities but distribution is problematic. For this reason, UMY felt obligated to help provide PPE for the medical teams, “said Gunawan.

A representative of Klaten Regional Government Public Relations, Wahyudi expressed his gratitude and appreciation for UMY. “These face shields will greatly assist the government in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic given that the availability of face shields in the Klaten area itself is very minimal,” he said.

According to Wahyudi, the face shields will be distributed to the medical staff, police, and volunteers.

In the future, the face shield that has been produced will also be given to the medical staff in Muhammadiyah PKU clinics and hospitals as well as to the police who are on the streets every day. (ays)