Malaysia COVID-19 Relief

Tuesday, 30 June 2020 18:57

Malaysia COVID-19 Relief ^Featured

Written by CK Cheong

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Background

CREST activated emergency response for COVID-19 in January 2020 by assisting Wuhan City and later, Hubei Province. As COVID-19 spread internationally, Malaysia’s Ministry of Health detected multiple local transmission clusters in early March. The largest cluster was due to a religious gathering held from 27 February to 1 March 2020 in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.

By the 10^th of March, Malaysia was ranked first among Southeast Asia countries for the highest number of confirmed cases reported. Very quickly, a public health emergency was declared by the government and a Movement Control Order (MCO) (referred in some countries as a lockdown) to break the chain of local transmission was imposed. During the same period, WHO announced on 11 March that the spread of COVID-19 has become a global pandemic.

The first MCO which started on 18 March 2020 was planned for 14 days. However, it was later extended. Subsequently, MCO was replaced by Recovery MCO which commenced on 10 June until further announcement.

Objective

1. Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline workers.
2. Provide essential food package to B40 group. (B40 refers to the category of monthly household income less than RM4,360)

Team Members

PPE Distribution – CREST, Volunteers and staff of Infinity Logistics & Transport
FOOD4HOPE – Malaysian CARE, CREST and Volunteers

Activities

1. Personal Protective Equipment Distribution

covid my 001 In the beginning of March, COVID-19 has rapidly spread across many nations. Italy, Spain and Iran have closed down their borders and implemented lockdowns due to their growing local transmission cases. Healthcare supplies such as protective equipment is on high demand.

Fortunately, CREST had a head start on the sourcing and purchasing of PPE from local and overseas manufacturers two months earlier. By then, we have already understood the required procedures of the Chinese supply chain and secured orders through the building of relationship with the suppliers.

As flight routes to China was reduced due to the implementation of international travel restrictions, there was a build-up of cargoes at the departure ports. CREST has decided to import in small quantities divided into multiple shipments. At the same time, we also secured a green lane from the Ministry of Health and Custom Malaysia for import duty and sales tax exemptions.

A team of volunteers from China started to raise fund, purchase and send the PPE to Malaysia. As at 30 April 2020, a sum of RMB216,350.16 has been raised to purchase PPE and have the items distributed to multiple locations.

Although CREST did not appeal for public donation, we have received donation-in-kind, services and financial support from individuals, churches and corporates – PPB Group Berhad, Kuok Foundation and Infinity Logistics & Transport Sdn Bhd.

Date	Beneficiary	Item	Quantity (Pieces)
25-Mar	Hospital Serdang	Coverall	90
27-Mar	Hospital Kajang	Powdered Latex	1,000
27-Mar	Hospital Kajang	N95 8210	200
29-Mar	Hospital Sg Buloh	N95 1860S	300
30-Mar	Hospital Bintulu	N95 8210	120
31-Mar	Klang Police HQ	3 Ply Surgical	1,000
31-Mar	Klinik Bandaran	3 Ply Surgical	100
2-Apr	Pusat Koreksional Puncak Alam	3 Ply Surgical	500
4-Apr	Hospital Kajang	N95	1,000
4-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	N95	2,000
4-Apr	Hospital Serdang	N95	1,000
4-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Coverall	50
5-Apr	Hospital Kluang	N95	3,000
5-Apr	Hospital Kluang	Coverall	50
6-Apr	Hospital Serdang	N95 8210	240
6-Apr	Hospital Sarawak (Kuching)	Coverall	100
7-Apr	Hospital Ipoh	Coverall	50
7-Apr	Hospital Ipoh	N95	1,000
7-Apr	Klinik Bethany	N95	60
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Gunung Rapat	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Simpang Pulai	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Pasir Pinji	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Buntong	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Manjoi	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Simee	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Jelapang	N95	200
8-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Greentown	N95	200
8-Apr	10 Klinik Kesihatan (Ipoh)	N95	2,000
9-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Chemor	N95	200
9-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Tanjung Rambutan	N95	200
9-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Petra Jaya (Kuching)	FFP2	100
13-Apr	Hospital Ipoh	Hand Sanitiser	60
13-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Greentown	Hand Sanitiser	20
13-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Jelapang	Hand Sanitiser	20
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Coverall	100
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Coverall	250
13-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Greentown	Coverall	50
13-Apr	Klinik Kesihatan Jelapang	Coverall	50
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Protective Boots	1,000
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Coverall	200
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Coverall	100
13-Apr	Hospital Ipoh	Coverall	100
13-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	Face Shield	200
14-Apr	Hopital Seremban	Hand Sanitiser	50
14-Apr	Seremban Public Health	Hand Sanitiser	50
14-Apr	Hopital Seremban	Coverall	100
14-Apr	Hopital Seremban	Coverall	100
14-Apr	Seremban Public Health	Face Shield	300
15-Apr	Hospital Sarawak (Kuching)	Coverall	100
17-Apr	Hospital Sentosa (Kuching)	3 Ply Surgical	1,000
20-Apr	Hospital Kajang	Hand Sanitiser	100
20-Apr	Hospital Serdang	Hand Sanitiser	100
20-Apr	Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahmah (Klang)	Hand Sanitiser	100
27-Apr	Hospital Sg Buloh	KN95	2,000
27-Apr	Hospital Kuala Lumpur	KN95	2,000
28-Apr	Hospital Seremban	KN95	2,000
4-May	Hospital Serdang	KN95	2,000
29-May	Pusat Kuarantin & Rawatan MAEPS Serdang	Protective Goggles	100
29-May	Pusat Kuarantin & Rawatan MAEPS Serdang	Coverall	600
29-May	Pusat Kuarantin & Rawatan MAEPS Serdang	3 Ply Surgical	2,000
29-May	Pusat Kuarantin & Rawatan MAEPS Serdang	Coverall	600

2. FOOD4HOPE – Food Distribution for B40 Group, Migrant Workers and Refugees.

Implementation Partners: Malaysia CARE, REACH

During the period of MCO, almost all economic sectors were shutdown. Many families from the B40 income group were living on their daily or weekly wages. According to the Malaysian Centre Bank report, 80% of the Malaysian families do not have RM3,000 as savings for emergency situations like this.

On the third day of MCO, a team of volunteers and full-time staff from Malaysian CARE, REACH and CREST developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and established an Incident Command System (ICS). The FOOD4HOPE programme was initiated to provide non-perishable essential food items to the poor and needy.

COVID-19 has brought about much challenges, unclear government policies and ongoing uncertainty. Still, we give thanks to God and our team members for being quick to adapt to these changes by implementing work-around solutions.

FOOD4HOPE officially started on 24 March 2020 and was extended as MCO continued. The programme ended on 15 May 2020 and benefitted a total of 4,354 families.

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