"Doctors are on the front lines of this pandemic. All the hospitals that we contacted said to send everything that might provide any kind of protection. Masks and other protective equipment are needed here and now to reduce the chances of infection among doctors, so that we would still have healthy doctors who are able to treat the infected or those that need other medical care. Therefore, after "Utenos trikotažas" company belonging to the SBA group urgently reorganised its production and began sewing fabric masks, we decided to immediately donate them on behalf of all of our companies to our country's medics. Our masks were firstly donated to those institutions that needed them the most. We also sent them to hospitals and healthcare institutions in the cities where our companies are operating and our employees are being treated," says SBA Vice President Jolanta Grašienė.
According to J. Grašienė, the total amount donated by SBA companies to medics exceeded 30 000 euros, however various support initiatives will continue in this difficult time.
"We will use all the equipment that is sent to us. The current situation is that both major and regional healthcare institutions, including us, do not have enough protective equipment. All of our staff, without exception, must take care to prevent the virus from spreading in the hospital, so that its operation would not be paralysed. The staff will use the donated reusable fabric masks which we will be able to wash or disinfect in our laundry facilities. We will also give the donated masks to our patients as needed and whenever possible," says Viktoras Šileikis, Chief Physician at Šilutė Hospital.
Reusable masks were donated to this hospital and the primary health care centre of Šilutė by SBA companies "Šilutės baldai" and "Germanika" operating in that region.
Several thousand masks were donated to Santaros Klinikos in Vilnius, Kauno Klinikos in Kaunas, Panevėžys hospital, hospitals in Ukmergė, Ignalina and Rokiškis, and healthcare institutions in Utena by "Utenos trikotažas" company whose employees voluntarily made over 10 000 masks over last Sunday.
Masks were sent to the Clinical Hospital of Kaunas by "Kauno baldai" in cooperation with BLC and "Kauno dokas" business centres of SBA companies "Urban Inventors" and "Capitalica Asset Management".
Support to Klaipėda University Hospital was provided by "SBA baldų kompanija" and "Klaipėdos baldai", to healthcare institutions in Visaginas – by "Visagino linija".
SBA company "Šatrija" that operates in Raseiniai and sews clothes for firefighters and the military not only donated several hundred disposable and reusable masks to the city's healthcare institutions, but also, after consulting the emergency medical care staff of Raseiniai, made and donated to them almost 200 disposable waterproof coveralls, and 1000 disposable boot and shoe covers.
Medics would like to remind us that reusable masks do not protect against viruses, however they provide an additional physical barrier to prevent the release of infectious droplets into the air. With the rapid spread of coronavirus, the Minister of Health recommends that all residents wear masks (which can also be homemade) when going outside their homes. In order to avoid becoming the source of infection, doctors encourage using fabric masks for several hours only. Fabric masks must be washed thoroughly with soap, boiled or disinfected after use.
SBA Group is one of the largest business groups in Lithuania operating in the real estate, textile and furniture manufacturing sectors. Companies of the group have nearly 5000 employees.
