KUALA LUMPUR: The frontline staff of Ampang Hospital were duly feted for their sacrifices and services treating Covid-19 patients.
The hospital became the second after Sungai Buloh Hospital to be made a fully-fledged 'Stage 3 and 4' Covid-19 public hospital in the country.
National Prihatin Foundation (Prihatin) hosted a 'Caring Ramadan Travel Programme' iftar for 500 nurses, doctors and medical staff at the hospital's premises in Pandan Mewah, Ampang.
Prihatin's chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Aizuddin Ghazali said that the initiative was part of their 'Kembara Ramadan Prihatin' project that included various social activities through the month of Ramadan.
"These involve those in the B40 group, asnaf (dirt poor), the less fortunate, orphans, tahfiz children, those with down syndrome, the homeless, students of higher learning institutions and front-line staff of various organisations.
"Prihatin also carries out other religious activities like tarawih, qiamulail, sahur, bubur lambuk distribution and zakat cntributions," he said after breaking fast with the hospital staff.
Present were hospital director Dr Kasuadi Hussin, the hospital's muslim staff welfare organisation chairman Dr Raziman Abdul Razak and hospital's Puspaniat chairman Dr Emelianah Saidil.
Aizuddin presented RM100 cash to 100 of the front-liners, some of whom were also affected by the monsoon flash-floods.
"Front-line staff also need to be given welfare attention because they worked hard during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Some of them were equally affected by the disease as they prepare to celebrate the upcoming Aidilfitri.
"These are the lot who eased the burden of those in need.
Aizuddin revealed Prihatin was planning more such programmes with other health Institutions to ease the burden of front-line personnel throughout the country.
"We are aware that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in almost all Malaysians experiencing economic turmoil, some of which have made it difficult for them to survive.
"Although the assistance provided is not much, Prihatin hopes that the assistance provided can to some extent help ease some of the burden faced.
"We hope it will spur them to strive to improve their daily lives," said Aizuddin. He called on those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to collectively face the challenges and not give up.
"Do not be disillusioned to move on with your post-pandemic lives and hope for the best," he said.