PAGDER Aims to Protect Healthcare Workers with "Health Shield" Project

The outbreak has prompted PAGDER (Plastic Manufacturers Association) Management Board Chairman Selçuk Gülsün to announce the launch of a "Health Face Shield" project to meet the need for protective equipment: "While our healthcare workers work for us day and night, they themselves face the risk of illness. At this point, demand for protective consumables such as face shields, masks, gloves and aprons has begun to exceed current capacity significantly. Our association has developed this project in the public interest, as it has done in every difficulty our country has faced since its establishment. Face shields produced under the project will be delivered free of charge to the Ministry of Health for distribution to our healthcare workers as needed. Through this protective equipment, the infection risk for our healthcare workers will be significantly reduced," he said. Selçuk Gülsün noted that necessary machinery and equipment investments have been made to accelerate production within the project framework: "After the project idea emerged, through the dedicated work of our members Beno Plastik and Özge Plastik, production moved forward rapidly. All investments were implemented and production-ready status was achieved in less than 1 week. In order to meet the needs of our healthcare workers in the shortest possible time, within the scope of production planned on a 24/7 basis, shield components produced at two separate facilities are being assembled and delivered to the Ministry of Health. PAGDER launched the project initially targeting 1,000,000 health face shields for 1,000,000 healthcare workers, and there is strong interest from both the sector and the public. We are continuing our efforts to increase our production capacity in accordance with the Ministry of Health's needs, particularly in the coming period," he said. Gülsün continued: "Following the project launch, support for 100,000 health face shields came from İKMİB - Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association. Similarly, many companies operating in the plastics sector have announced their support during this difficult period. Until the outbreak ends and this difficult period is overcome, we will continue to meet the face shield needs of our healthcare workers with the support we receive from our supporters," he said.