PETALING JAYA, August 13 — Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) is providing aid worth RM3.2million to Klang Valley public hospitals and Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC).
The contributions are 20 units of Hyundai Starex 2.5 (A), critical medical and non-medical equipment and volunteers to combat the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Collaborating with Sime Darby Rent-A-Car Sdn. Bhd, the 20 vehicles will be provided to CAC’s located in Gombak, Petaling, Hulu Langat, Klang, Hulu Selangor, Sepang and Sabak Bernam for a period of three months.
Prime Minister’s special advisor on public health Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood said in a statement that the Starex vehicles came at a critical time as it helps transport patients from their homes to CAC’s.
“This is especially true for patients deemed high risk, such as the elderly, or those who are pregnant or with comorbidities.
“Some are only mildly symptomatic and do not need to be brought in an ambulance, which can instead be used for more ill patients.
“With these 20 extra vehicles, we shall be able to reach more people, ensuring ambulances are used appropriately and in the process save more lives.”
YSD chief executive officer Yatela Zainal Abidin said that in a request from The Greater Klang Valley special task force (GKV STF), equipment such as medical and non-medical, food and volunteers were needed.
“We immediately started to work closely with them in early August and began to coordinate the deployment of urgent requirements, to ease the burden at the public hospitals and CACs.
“We worked fast as YSD acknowledges the dire situation on the ground, with the unprecedented rise in the number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths over the past few weeks.
“To assist the CACs, we are providing 20 vehicles to mobilise frontliners and to transport Covid-19 patients, for three months as a start, at the cost of RM205,500.”
YSD will also be distributing oxygen tanks, oxygen concentrators, ventilators and computers to public hospitals and CACs and provide allowances for volunteers.
Other organisations that have supported YSD’s initiative include Sime Darby Plantation, IMARET and Rentwise.
