UFC middleweight world champion, Israel Adesanya, has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to Lagos State in the fight against COVID-19.
The Nigerian-born mixed martial art is also donating 10,000 three-ply face masks and 1000 eye protection face masks for health workers in Whanganui, New Zealand where he grew up.
Also, New Zealand is also donating PPE to Auckland, where he lives in New Zealand to help them in the fight against COVID-19.
When praised about the development, Israel told a follower on Twitter: “Don’t tell anyone though. I’m just tryna be “humble.”
The New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 2019, was quoted on the Whanganui District Health Board website as saying that “I can’t do it for the whole world, but I can help the communities I know – the places that I have been a part of.”
According to the board, the materials worth thousands of dollars will be delivered to the Whanganui District Health Board within two weeks.
While commending Adesanya’s move, the Whanganui DHB Chief Executive, Russell Simpson, said the UFC champion has the DHB staff and the healthcare community at heart as they tackle COVID-19.
“The DHB is extremely grateful that Israel has DHB staff and the healthcare community in his thoughts as we fight against COVID-19,” Russell said in a statement on the board’s website. “On behalf of all of the staff at Whanganui DHB, we thank him for his generous donation.”
Adesanya has lived in Whanganui since he was a teenager.
His family still stays there with his mum, Tai, working as a nurse in the emergency department at the Whanganui Hospital.