Factory workers isolate to produce face masks
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With supplies of personal protective equipment, such as masks and overalls, quickly diminishing throughout Tunisia, factory workers in the northwest of the country have made a drastic and altruistic “patriotic gesture”.
All 150 employees of the ConsoMED factory, mostly women, have chosen to isolate themselves away from their families for a month – not because they’re suffering from the virus, because they want to manufacture as many protective masks as possible for their country.
After a visit from the country’s President, the BBC interviewed Hamza Alouini, ConsoMED’s founder, where he described the conditions inside the factory. “We prepared some space to eat and we have a doctor, we have a pharmacist, we have stocks of medical equipment, we prepared the food”, said Alouini. “It’s a good place to sleep for me and for them. I prepared something for me and when I accepted it, it’s okay for them. Even I have my mother with me because it’s a family company”.
ConsoMED is one of the most successful SMEs that SPARK has supported via the governorate’s business centre, and is now producing a minimum of 50,000 face masks per day.