KUALA LUMPUR: MERCY Malaysia has launched the Covid-19 Pandemic Fund today to support the severely strained Malaysian healthcare system.
The fund will also go towards supporting medical services and essential needs of marginalised groups.
Since the news of Covid-19 broke in February, the organisation has been communicating closely with the relevant authorities to offer assistance where required.
“We have been reinforcing preventive measures such as hand-washing, eating well-cooked foods and correct use of face masks at our mobile clinics for refugees and migrants since last month.
“These marginalised communities cannot be left out of the pandemic containment plan as they can potentially be hot spots for the virus to spread rapidly,” said Executive Director of MERCY Malaysia, Ir. Amran Mahzan.
He said as healthcare services are included in the list of essential services under the government’s Movement Restriction, MERCY Malaysia’s Klinik QFFD for refugees and migrants will continue their services during the next two weeks.
“Our clinic in Ampang supports the District Health Office to refer refugees in Ampang and Klang Valley suspected of Covid-19 to relevant hospitals. Patients who are tested positive will not be charged by KKM, but those tested negative will actually be charged RM40. However, MERCY Malaysia will support the cost of RM40,” said Amran.
He said MERCY had also donated masks, sanitisers and PPE to other organisations, including NADMA to help supplement the dipping supplies in the market.
“In Myanmar, we also collaborated with the Malaysian Embassy in Yangon to contribute 25,000 surgical face masks, 100 bottles of clinical hand sanitizers and 100 boxes of surgical gloves to the Ministry of Health and Sports, Union of Myanmar for countrywide response and preparedness to Covid19 in Myanmar,” said Amran.
He added that in the following weeks, MERCY Malaysia’s medical volunteers will be deployed to assist the Health Ministry’s screening and sampling of potential patients in key areas such as KLIA and District Health Offices.
To support MERCY Malaysia’s initiatives, you may donate through www.mercy.org.my or direct to MERCY Humanitarian Fund (5621 7950 4126) or MERCY Malaysia (CIMB 8000-7929-08). All donations are tax-exempted.