Section SOCIETY
TOPIC Initiatives on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

MEGA Disposables S.A.

MEGA’s immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic

MEGA responded immediately and responsibly to the sudden spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, combining its many years of know-how, Greek innovation and its unwavering commitment to product safety. Thus, it was at the forefront of offering comprehensive protection to its employees, consumers and society.

MEGA’s primary goal was to shield its employees, to assist the National Health System, as well as to stand by the vulnerable groups.

Specifically, MEGA contributed to the national effort to address the health crisis, with significant donations of medical equipment to the NHS, donations of antiseptics and other personal care products, in cooperation with municipalities, agencies, institutions, nursing homes, etc., while at the same time in extraordinary investments to ensure the adequacy of antiseptic products and surgical masks of high protection in the Greek market.

The actions concern: a) our employees and b) the wider social group (vulnerable social groups, the National Health Service, Reference Hospitals, Research Institutes, care centers for the elderly and children, schools, institutions, municipal bodies throughout Greece, as well as civil protection bodies, Fire Brigade, Police).

Finally, it proceeded with extraordinary investments to ensure the adequacy of antiseptic and personal protection products in the Greek market.

The actions started with the beginning of the Pandemic in the country and continue to this day. MEGA is committed to continue to support the work of Hospitals and organizations that are vigilant in the defense of Public Health, while at the same time it will be by the side of vulnerable groups helping to meet their needs.

From the first day of the Covid-19 pandemic, MEGA has been at the forefront of offering to society, its consumers and its employees. The Health and Safety of the company’s employees is a top priority.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, in order to protect the health of all workers, the following measures have been adopted for their safety:

  • Mandatory use of mask in all workspaces
  • Regular performance of rapid and molecular PCR tests on employees on a weekly basis, at the cost of the Company
  • Awareness campaigns so as to inform employees about the risks, symptoms of COVID-19 virous, as well as the protection measures taken by the company
  • Installation to fully support online meetings equipment to avoid meetings in person 
  • Daily thermometry of all employees upon entering the company
  • Strict social distance Policy between employees 
  • Installation of Plexiglass in the working spaces and application of teleworking
  • Regular disinfection in our premises and in the buses transporting the employees
  • Special arrangements for employees belonging to vulnerable groups
  • Placement of a special van in order to avoid employees commuting by the means of public transport
  • Application of rolling lunch breaks with few people and creation of individual smoke rooms.
  • Disposal of disinfectants in all working spaces and usage of wipes on doorhandles.
  • Regular disinfection in internal working spaces

Moreover, MEGA contributed in practice to the effort to strengthen the National Health System, while at the same time standing by the vulnerable social groups, with continuous product donations and targeted social actions.

Indicatively, the Company has carried out the following supporting actions:

  1. Donation of 20 hospital beds for Intensive Care Units, designed with special specifications for ICU, to the Ministry of Health. Τhe hospital beds were handed over immediately to the Ministry of Health, in order to equip the Intensive Care Units of the hospitals nationwide.
  2. Donation of Medical Equipment for the new Intensive Care Units needs in Tzanio Hospital. Analytically, the donated equipment included: Electrocardiograph, Electroencephalograph, Defibrillator, Hypothermia/Hyperthermia Machine, High Flow O2 (High Flow) Apparatus, Intensity Measuring Machine, External Pacemaker, External Pacemaker situations, Digital Osmometers, Indirect Calorimetry Machines, Weighing Patient Crane, Hospital/Change Wheels, wheel chairs for hospitalization/change, Mobile wheeled suction, Diathermy, Portable operating room light, Drug Refrigerators, Stato/Serum Columns, Inclined stato console.
  3. Donation of 5.000 PCR Tests to Thriasio Hospital. Specifically, the company proceeded to donate reagents for molecular diagnosis, with accompanying equipment a fully automated and approved for diagnostic use, real-time PCR system. With the contribution of MEGA, currently, the G.N.E. “Thriasio” operates a Molecular Control Laboratory, which ensures the fastest and most accurate possible diagnosis for Covid-19 positive patients and therefore their fastest and safest treatment.
  4. Donation of 200.000 MEGA surgical masks to over 110 Nursing Homes of Attica. Our priority is to assist in the common fight against the pandemic, especially in the bodies that are most affected and where the risk of loss of life is greater, such as the Nursing Homes of our country. In front of Health, everyone is equal and has the same right to protection, with a product that is appropriately designed to offer extremely high protection and at the same time comfortable breathing to the elderly, but also to the employees in the Nursing Homes.
  5. Support of the Home Help Program of the Municipality of Athens with a donation of 690,000 personal hygiene products. In the context of the program, the company substantially contributed to meeting the needs and providing basic goods at home to Athenian citizens with underlying diseases and ailments, the elderly who cannot be served by their relatives, lonely people who are unable to support themselves, as well as and the strengthening of the new homeless accommodation structures of the Municipality.
  6. Donation of surgical masks and antibacterial products in all schools of the Municipality of Acharnes. MEGA offered surgical masks SARS-CoV-2.
  7. Support of the new program of the Elderly Friendship Clubs of the Municipality of Athens entitled FRIENDSHIP for the Elderly. MEGA supported and continues to support the Third Age with the new program of the Municipality of Athens entitled DESMOS FILIAS. The DESMOS FILIAS program provides the 3,600 officially registered members of the Friendship Clubs with telephone support, information, and psychological support. At the same time, MEGA offered to all the officially registered members of the Friendship Clubs of the Municipality of Athens 3,600 “MEGA protection boxes”, which include a full range of Wet Hankies antibacterial protection products.
  8. Donation of over 4 million personal hygiene products nationwide, in collaboration with Municipalities, Institutions, Nursing Homes, local communities etc.
  9. Donation of reagent for the Pasteur Institute

 

The effort to defend Public Health is not over. On the contrary, the needs remain great and immediate. Our company is committed to continue to support the valuable work of Hospitals and other agencies that are vigilant in the defense of Public Health, while at the same time being next to vulnerable groups, helping to meet their needs.

In order to be able to respond fully and implement the necessary actions to address the pandemic, MEGA was in contact with the Ministry of Health, Tzanio Hospital, Thriasio GNE, COVID Reference Hospitals, nursing homes, institutions, Municipalities, Research of Greece.

The employee involvement in the company’s initiatives regarding pandemic was important and commendable, mainly due to the complex communications that had to take place under very strict schedules and under unprecedented pandemic conditions.

The R&D, the procurement and the production departments worked at self-sacrifice in order to design, approve by local ΝΟΜ and produce new antiseptic products with enhanced coronavirus protection, as well as the innovative MEGA masks.

The technicians exaggerated themselves so as to quickly install the new machines that were ordered specially, on the one hand, to enhance the production of Wet hankies antiseptic wipes, on the other hand, for the production of MEGA high protection surgical masks.

Finally, the competent employees acted with determination and speed in order to complete the purchases of hospital equipment, as well as to plan and implement the donations of personal hygiene products to a number of organizations.

MEGA has taken steps to tackle the pandemic affecting Greece. More specifically, the Health System (ICU equipment) and the Reference Hospitals located in the Municipality of Elefsina and Athens were strengthened.

In addition, the 4 million pieces of personal hygiene products awarded to vulnerable groups related to Type II surgical masks, antiseptic lotions, antibacterial wipes, etc. The products were distributed nationwide, in collaboration with municipalities, agencies, institutions, nursing homes, etc.

Additionally, the Municipality of Acharnes was strengthened, in which MEGA operates, through the distribution of personal protection products for schools.

  • MEGA with a sense of responsibility provided 200,000 MEGA surgical masks free of charge, in over 110 nursing homes in Attica, in the context of strengthening the protection measures against the spread of the coronavirus in vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
  • From the beginning of the pandemic until today, over 4 million pieces of antibacterial products and personal hygiene items of MEGA (Wet Hankies, Babylino, BabyCare, Sani, EveryDay), have been distributed to Institutions, Municipalities, Nursing Homes, Institutions, Schools, etc.
  • Donation of 20 hospital beds in the Intensive Care Units of public hospitals in the country
  • Donation of medical equipment for the needs of the new ICUs at the Tzanio Hospital in Piraeus.
  • Donation of reagents for molecular diagnosis of 5,000 real time PCR examinations at the General Hospital of Elefsina Thriasio.
  • Support of the “Help at Home” Program of the Municipality of Athens with a donation of 690,000 personal hygiene products
  • Donation of surgical masks and antibacterial products MEGA in all public schools of the Municipality of Acharnes.
  • Donation of reagent for the Pasteur Institute
  • Through the above donations of both medical equipment and personal hygiene products, MEGA supported the work of ICUs, as well as vulnerable groups, contributing to the protection of health and personal protection of citizens. The company continues to assist in the fight against the pandemic with a series of targeted actions.

MEGA, faithful to its promise to be next to the sensitive social groups of the population, but also to those in need, contributes over time to actions that aim to strengthen Greek society. With a high sense of responsibility, the company is committed to continuing to support agencies and NGOs to protect public health.

The benefits that result from the donations made by MEGA to medical equipment as well as to personal hygiene products are particularly essential and important for:

  • Employees, as their personal protection was shielded
  • Consumers, as their protection was enhanced with new innovative products with enhanced antibacterial action (eg Wet hankies extra safe, MEGA antiseptic lotions), as well as with the innovative MEGA masks.
  • Elderly people living in nursing homes because masks are an important protection against COVID-19 and were extremely vulnerable to the virus.
  • Citizens in Municipalities, Institutions, Schools, Institutions that used the products offered by MEGA (surgical masks, liquid antibacterial wipes Wet Hankies, antiseptic lotions MEGA), thus enhancing their individual protection.
  • Patients in the ICUs and the intensive care units of the Public Hospitals, but also the citizens who underwent diagnostic tests to determine if they have COVID-19 disease in Referral Hospitals (eg Thriasio).

MEGA is committed to continue to support the valuable work of the Hospitals and the other bodies that are vigilant for the protection of Public Health, while at the same time it will be next to the vulnerable groups, contributing to the coverage of their needs.