University Donates Protective Equipment to Health Care Workers

To aid health care workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Duquesne donated personal protective equipment from its research labs and classrooms last week.

The University’s Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, Health Sciences, and Natural and Environmental Sciences supplied more than 100 cases of gloves (about 150,000 pairs), 80 N-95 face masks, 25 boxes with disposable gowns, shoe covers and hair/beard covers, and several boxes of goggles, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizers and biohazard bags.

The equipment was delivered to the Southwest Healthcare Coalition—which is part of the Pennsylvania Department of Health—and the Allegheny County Health Department, which will distribute the supplies to health care facilities.

“Health care professionals are at risk during this pandemic, and there is an urgent need for supplies across facilities,” said Associate Biological Sciences Professor Dr. Benedict Kolber, who helped with the collection. “This was a team effort to pull these supplies together in just a few days. We couldn’t have accomplished this without the help of colleagues and administrators from across the University.”

In addition to Kolber, representatives from the schools included Dr. Anne Burrows, physical therapy professor in the Rangos School of Health Sciences; Rosanna Henry, instructor and director of the School of Nursing’s Learning and Simulation Center; and Dr. Kevin Tidgewell, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy. More than a dozen volunteers helped collect and store the equipment.

The effort reflects Duquesne’s Spiritan tradition that calls on providing service to those in need, especially during times of adversity.