KUALA LUMPUR (May 17): Glovemaker Hartalega Holdings Bhd has stepped forward to donate 2.0 million pieces of gloves after an appeal by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
MoH secretary-general Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah, while taking delivery of 33 ventilators bought by The Edge Covid 19 Equipment Fund for Hospital Sungai Buloh last Saturday, said hospitals were in need of more medical gloves.
In response to the appeal, Hartalega, which was The Edge Billion Ringgit Club Company of The Year for 2020, agreed to donate 2.0 million pieces.
Hartalega chief executive officer Kuan Mun Leong said: “Hartalega is grateful to be able to continue to assist the Malaysian government, specifically MoH in the fight against Covid-19. Now more than ever, given the critical nature of the pandemic, we hope this support that we are providing will assist MoH in their efforts.”
Hartalega had last year also donated RM1.0 million to The Edge Covid-19 Healthcare Workers Fund.
The Edge Media Group’s chief executive officer and publisher Datuk Ho Kay Tat lauded Hartalega for its quick response to the appeal from MoH.
“I hope other glove companies will also come forward and donate medical gloves to MoH,” said Ho, who added that The Edge is working closely with the ministry to see how it can help with the urgent purchase of various medical equipment needed by hospitals.
University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), which is under the purview of the Ministry of Education, is also appealing for equipment. “We are in discussion with UMMC to get them what they need,” said Ho. “Hospitals are in need of various ICU equipment small to big as cases have surged.”
To date, the equipment fund has donated over 120 ventilators, 100 oxygen concentrators and over RM1.3 million worth of personal protective equipment to more than 30 hospitals, including those in Sabah and Sarawak, and over 60 district clinics in Peninsular Malaysia since the start of the pandemic.
The Edge Covid-19 Pandemic Funds were started in late March last year, during the first Movement Control Order, with two funds — The Edge Covid-19 Equipment Fund, which has raised RM14.62 million, while The Edge Covid-19 Health Care Workers Support Fund received RM10.54 million for a total sum of RM25.16 million.
