Lagos, Nigeria — Wemy Industries, the leading Nigerian manufacturer of Dr.Browns and Nightingale range of products, announced today that they will start the production of face masks and hand sanitizing wipes on October 1, 2020.
The addition of these new hygiene products into Wemy’s production line is in response to the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the country. The increased risk of infection, especially to health care workers who are highly susceptible to contracting the virus, motivated Wemy Industries to partner with the Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program and Wema Bank.
Through these strategic partnerships, Wemy Industries will provide PPE to health personnel, first responders, frontline workers, isolation centres, hospitals, and other relevant organizations around the country. The project will also include the donation of 7.8 million masks to health care centres supporting the medical needs of the most vulnerable for the duration of the pandemic.
“With the support of the Mastercard Foundation, Wemy Industries will be able to produce and distribute 13 million surgical face masks and 400,000 packets of hand sanitizing wipes per month for the domestic market. In addition, through its distribution channels, it will be able to directly reach many of the frontline health care workers in Nigeria,” says Chidinma Lawanson, Country Head, Nigeria, the Mastercard Foundation.
In line with the recommendation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wemy Industries will produce alcohol-based hand sanitizer and quality 3ply facemasks that filter out airborne particles and tiny droplets to ensure maximum safety.
“With the use of face mask and hand sanitizer already established by the World Health Organization as critical equipment in preventing and minimizing the spread of COVID-19, we hope that the commencement of our new production line will have an impact countrywide,” says Paul Odunaiya, Managing Director, Wemy Industries.
We considered many factors in the roll-out of this project, including pricing, market size, long- term sustainability, and the import substitution policy of the federal government. However, our overriding motivation is the positive impact that it will have on the health care sector as it fights to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” adds Odunaiya.
About Wemy Industries
Founded in 1978 by Dr. Ademola Odunaiya, Wemy Industries is a hygiene company that pioneered the indigenous manufacturing of Dr. Brown’s baby diaper and Adult Diaper in Nigeria. The brand name “Dr. Brown’s” was conceptualized by the founder who believes that Africans are brown people and not “Black”. Our dedication to improving the general standard of hygiene and healthcare among Nigerians and African populace has positioned us as a driving market force in the hygiene industry. With over 40 years in local manufacturing, Wemy Industries range of products such as baby diaper, baby wipes, Water Wipes, Adult diaper, Underlay Towel Pads, Net Maternity Pad, Face mask and Hand Sanitizing Wipes continue to provide quality hygiene for maternity care, incontinence, child care and personal care. For more information kindly visit https://wemydrbrowns.com/
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organization with its own Board of Directors and management. For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org
About the Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program
The Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program has two main goals. First, to deliver emergency support for health workers, first responders, and students. Second, to strengthen the diverse institutions that are the first line of defense against the social and economic aftermath of this disease. These include universities, financial services providers, businesses, technology start-ups, incubators, government agencies, youth organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
For more on the Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program, please visit https://mastercardfdn.org/covid19-recovery-resilience-program/. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at @MastercardFdn.
For further information, please contact:
Wemy Industries
Jadesola Adegboyega
Public Relation & Communication Personnel
jadesola@wemydrbrowns.com
Mastercard Foundation
Nonye Mpho Omotola
Country Lead, Program Communications, Nigeria
nomotola@mastercardfdn.org
