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Changi Foundation, airport partners donate 1,380 oxygen concentrators to Indonesia to fight Covid-19

2021-08-19 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - Changi Foundation - the philanthropic wing of Changi Airport Group (CAG) - and over 30 airport partners from the retail, engineering and construction sectors have donated 1,380 oxygen concentrators for Indonesia's fight against Covid-19.

Staff at Changi Airport also pitched in for the initiative.

The first shipment of the oxygen concentrators will depart Singapore on Thursday (Aug 19) and is expected to arrive in Jakarta at 6pm local time.

Cargo airline Cargolux and Singapore Airlines, along with logistics companies Sats and CEVA Logistics, undertook the shipment of the oxygen concentrators from Los Angeles to Singapore and onwards to Jakarta.

In a statement on Thursday, CAG said it has worked closely with the Indonesian embassy in Singapore to facilitate the donation.

"The Indonesia Ministry of Health will deploy these oxygen concentrators to hospitals in the country, providing assistance to Covid-19 patients. Oxygen concentrators are useful for Covid-19 patients experiencing a drop in oxygen levels, leading to respiratory distress.

"The portable machine can be used for hours without the need for replacement or refill of any other material," the statement said.

Indonesia has been grappling with a spike in Covid-19 cases since June due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. The rise in infections has taken its toll on the country's healthcare system and led to a shortage of medical oxygen.

The country recorded 17,384 new Covid-19 infections and 1,245 deaths on Monday.

CAG chief executive Lee Seow Hiang said: "I sincerely thank all our partners and contributors in this effort. We stand with the people of Indonesia during this difficult time and sincerely hope that our contribution will go some way towards saving precious lives."

Indonesia's Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo said: "This unprecedented situation requires solid communication and collaboration between us to fight the Covid-19 virus. No single country can fight this pandemic alone, so strong cooperation is needed.

"Indonesia and Singapore have showcased the true meaning of 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'. I highly appreciate these oxygen concentrators donated by the Singapore Changi Airport community, which shows earnest support and understanding of our fight against Indonesia's pandemic."

Mr Lee Seow Hiang (left) hands over an oxygen concentrator to Mr Suryo Pratomo at Changi Airport, on Aug 19, 2021. PHOTO: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP

In a statement on July 19, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Singapore had arranged for regular shipments of emergency oxygen supplies to Indonesia. More than 500 tonnes of oxygen was expected to be shipped to Indonesia under the programme.

Indonesian residents in Singapore also coordinated with the embassy here last month to pool together donations, personal protection gear and oxygen supplies for support groups on the ground.