SINGAPORE – Temasek Foundation is among Singaporean and Indonesian entities donating more than 11,000 oxygen concentrators to support Indonesia’s fight against Covid-19.
The first batch of 1,500 units is slated to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday (July 13) and Wednesday, said the foundation in a statement on Tuesday.
More will be progressively delivered over the next few weeks, it added.
The oxygen concentrators, which are medical-grade, non-invasive breathing aids, will be deployed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to hospitals to treat patients with respiratory conditions.
The country reported 40,427 Covid-19 cases and 891 deaths on Monday, bringing its total so far to more than 2.5 million cases and 67,355 deaths.
The Indonesian authorities extended Covid-19 restrictions to 15 new locations across the archipelago last Friday. In densely populated Java, hospitals are being pushed to the limit, oxygen supplies are low, and four of five designated Covid-19 burial grounds in capital Jakarta are running out of space.
Contributors to the donation drive include Bakti Barito Foundation, Indies Capital Partners, Sinar Mas, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, DBS Bank and telco Singtel.
Said Mr Piyush Gupta, chief executive of DBS Bank which chipped in with 1,000 oxygen concentrators: “Having operated in Indonesia for more than 30 years, it pains us to see the country in the throes of its fiercest Covid-19 battle yet, as cases continue to surge.
“Amid these incredibly trying times, this donation represents a mark of solidarity with our Indonesian colleagues, customers and the community at large. It is our hope that by standing together, we can overcome the worst of this pandemic very soon.”
Temasek Foundation lauded the “generosity of the Indonesian business community here in Singapore as well as Singapore businesses, which have been quick to render help in our collective fight against Covid-19”.
It added that the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore has also been actively helping to facilitate the donations.
Last week, Singapore – in a signal of its strong ties with Indonesia – sent two planeloads of medical supplies to the country.
Indonesia to widen emergency Covid-19 curbs to 15 cities
Submitted by hermesauto on Jul 9, 2021, 5:48 pm
JAKARTA (REUTERS) – Indonesia will impose emergency restrictions in some areas outside of Java and Bali islands, a senior minister said on Friday (July 9), to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
The emergency measures will be similar to those in place on Bali and Java and will impact 15 cities in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua, chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto told a news conference.
Medical workers will also be given booster shots of the vaccine, he added.
Indonesia reported 38,124 new coronavirus cases and 871 new fatalities on Friday.
This story is developing.
