Dalhousie medical students gather protective equipment for health-care workers

Some medical students at Dalhousie University in Halifax are holding a donation drive to collect personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line health-care workers in Nova Scotia dealing with COVID-19.

Rumana Rafiq, a second-year medical student from Truro, N.S., said students are calling local businesses such as construction companies and nail salons to see if they have extra PPE to donate. They're also accepting donations from individuals.

Rafiq said they are looking for masks, gowns, face shields, disposable gloves and hand sanitizer. Even though the drive only got started a week and a half ago, they've been surprised by the response.

"We've been getting so many kind people in the community reaching out with offers and every little bit does count," said Rafiq. "It's been so great seeing the community come together and local businesses showing their support of this initiative and it just shows the support and unity we have in the community."

Rafiq said there are more than 30 students volunteering as part of the initiative. They are being very careful about physical distancing when they pick up the donations and when they hand them over to the Nova Scotia Health Authority and other health-care facilities.

The students are now doing their school work online, but they will keep gathering donations until the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

"We hope things quiet down with the pandemic soon, but we're here to continue helping as much as we can," said Rafiq.

Anyone who would like to donate items can reach the volunteers via email at [email protected].

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