Deyalsingh: Over 600,000 masks distributed

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says more than 600,000 face masks were distributed throughout the country.

He was speaking at the Health Ministry’s virtual press conference on Thursday morning.

He said after speaking with Finance Minister Colm Imbert, he can confirm that the government’s mask distribution programme – a collaboration with the National Insurance Property Development Company (Nipdec) – provided 350,056 masks.

He added that NGO Foundation for the Enhancement & Enrichment of Life (FEEL) received 133,756.

“All 14 regional corporations, regardless of whether it’s a PNM corporation or UNC corporation, would have received masks. Tobago will get 8,900 and FEEL will get a further 77, 040.”

He said this was is in addition to the “100,000-200,000” masks FEEL distributed before the government’s programme.

“So we have in circulation in excess of 600,000 masks. That is a good number.

"But the question is: are those people who have received it wearing it and wearing it appropriately?”

In a Twitter post, Imbert shared a screenshot of a Microsoft Word document with specifics of the distribution project.

Each regional corporation received 15,000 masks, according to the document. The Ministry of Rural Development received 200 masks and the Tobago House of Assembly 6,100.