KITCHENER -- Healthcare workers continue their public pleas for more personal protective equipment (PPE) as the number of COVID-19 cases climbs.

Frontline workers say they desperately need face masks, gloves and hospital gowns amid a global shortage.

“It appears that the need for these supplies has suddenly increased in a very short order,” says Dr. Sohail Gandhi, the president of the Ontario Medical Association. “What we’re seeing is a worldwide problem with supplies.”

In Waterloo Region, Cambridge Memorial Hospital says they don’t have enough PPE. Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital, meanwhile, have enough for now but anticipate more supplies will soon be needed.

On Monday a donation drive was held in Kitchener with dozens of people dropping off essential supplies at the Westmount Golf and Country Club.

The drive was organized by community members and physicians.

"Every health care worker who gets ill means more stress on the system, it means more patients who can’t get treatment, and not just treatment from COVID-19 but even your regular day treatments that you need to be healthy," says family physician Dr. Neil Naik. "The longer we can keep our healthcare workers alive and able to treat patients, the less the stress will be on our hospital system."

Those who stopped by with a donation agreed with that sentiment.

“If we don’t have healthy health workers, who is going to take care of us?” said one.

All the items will be distributed to hospital, clinics and shelters across Waterloo Region.

Dr. Naik says he’s overwhelmed by the response from the community.

“I haven’t seen anything like this before, where everyone rose up to the challenge. Where people are willing to help one another.”

Other hospitals across the province have also called on their communities to make donations, and individuals and businesses alike have answered the call.

Alcohol manufacturers have retooled to make sanitizer. Other companies have begun making face masks and shields.

On Sunday Conestoga College joined the ranks of those doing what they can to help, giving $2 million-worth of masks, gloves, ventilators, long-term care beds and more to support local hospitals.

Those who wish to donate supplies or volunteer can visit the group's website, CovidHealth.ca.