By Mitsuru Namatame | Project Coordinator
We are continuing to provide support to the people in vulnerable situations such as dialysis patients who are more likely to become seriously ill if infected, and to welfare facilities for persons with disabilities, where clusters of the disease are feared to occur. We distributed hygiene products that are essential for preventing infection. Since we started the emergency support for the fight against COVID-19 in April 2020, we have delivered hygiene products and other supplies to a total of 2,771 disability-related organizations, offices, and hospitals.
To protect lives, health, and livelihoods
From the autumn of 2020 onward, we distributed infection control supplies to welfare facilities for persons with disabilities. For the distribution of supplies, we collaborated with disability-related organizations that have nationwide and regional networks to confirm the supplies needed by the offices. Since the supplies needed by each office differed, we made flexible adjustments, such as preparing multiple packages of hygiene products, to deliver supplies that met the needs of each office. In addition to consumable items such as masks and disinfectant solutions, other hygiene items such as rubber gloves and non-contact thermometers, which had been in short supply for a long time, and protective clothing in case of an outbreak of infection were selected for the packages.
We have received many thank you messages from offices all over the country, and here are some of them.
“As the situation becomes more serious, we are afraid that an infection may occur in our surroundings at any time. Having supplies gives us a sense of security. I would like to thank everyone for their support despite the restrictions on our activities.”
“We installed disinfectant sprayers at the entrances and exits of the rooms where we conduct our activities. Since we can disinfect by simply holding our hands over the sprayers, we don't need to use too much force, and even users with sensitive hands can use them well. In addition, face shields and rubber gloves are used for meal service and oral care to prevent infection by droplets. Now that the infection is spreading again, we cannot close our office to protect the health and lives of the patients and also to protect their daily lives. These supplies for infection prevention are very helpful. Thank you very much for your help." (Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture)
“In the course of our work, we consume a large number of nursing gloves every day. Since the price of nursing gloves has soared to double the previous price, we have been using gloves of lower quality to get by. Receiving this kind of goodwill is a great help to us" (Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture)
Please help us continue our support activities!
The third state of emergency has been declared in 10 prefectures (4 prefectures on April 25, 2021, and 6 prefectures since May 2021; as of June 9, 2021) due to the rapid spread of infection by a mutated strain of COVID-19. With the rapid increase in the number of infected people, many infections and clusters of infections are also occurring at welfare facilities for people with disabilities.
If the infection spreads and the offices are closed, the users will lose their daily life. For this reason, measures to prevent the spread of infection within the establishments are being diligently taken, such as conducting independent PCR tests on users and staff members after someone within the establishments got infected even though they were not designated for administrative inspections. In response to this situation, AAR, in cooperation with disability-related organizations, plans to support the distribution of PCR test kits, which can be purchased at a cost of about 10,000 yen per kit, making it possible to distribute 40-50 kits to support the testing of one or two establishments.
We are also planning to distribute infection-control supplies to smaller establishments to prevent infections in their premises and to provide facilities and equipment to improve production activities at establishments that have been affected by COVID-19. We will continue our support activities to protect the lives, health, and livelihoods of people with disabilities, their families, and supporters. We would like to ask for everyone's continued support.
Number of organizations, facilities, and hospitals to which we delivered hygiene products and other supplies
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2,771 locations (about 161,720 people)
In addition to your generous donations, these activities are supported by Japan Platform, READYFOR Tokyo Community Foundation, J-Coin Fund, Give2Asia, and Sumitomo Foundation.
By Takeji Asano | Domestic emergency support team
By Satoko Sugisaki | Public Relations
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