Maybank contributes RM14 mln to upgrade two hospitals
KUALA LUMPUR: Maybank has committed a sum of RM14 million to two major government hospitals to ensure the continued provision of adequate medical facilities and services to help strengthen Malaysia’s healthcare system in coping with the recent surge of Covid-19 patients.
The contribution, to be channelled via MERCY Malaysia’s Covid-19 Hospital Surge Capacity Support Programme, will see the deployment of critically needed equipment and personnel to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang (HTAR), beginning from the fourth week of July 2021.
Maybank chairman Tan Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said the programme will be carried out over 20 weeks via a threepronged approach, namely through the provision of health equipment and supplies; mobilisation of human resources; and technical training including mental health and psychosocial support.
“It will increase in the intensive car unit (ICU) bed capacity for Category 4 and 5 Covid-19 patients by six units in HTAR and 10 units in HKL, as well as an additional 200 Covid-19 patient beds at each of these two hospitals,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The programme will also provide critically needed health workers and support staff totalling some 40 personnel for HTAR and 50 for HKL to serve at both their Covid-19 and nonCovid wards, thereby enabling their outpatient departments to reopen and serve all patients.
Zamzamzairani said the initiative will also see more medical staff trained on the proper handling of Covid-19 cases as well as provide a wide range of much needed ICU and non-ICU medical equipment, including for both the hospitals’ emergency departments.
Recognising the need to reduce the burnout rate and mental health challenges among frontline health workers, the programme will also provide mental health and psychosocial support services through reliable health management modules and mechanisms, and deliver direct aid to reduce the livelihood burdens of these workers and their family members.
Given the especially acute capacity challenges at HTAR, he said Maybank’s contribution will also see the setting up of a temporary field hospital there together with the provision of technical training to the staff to augment the treatment and recovery for Covid-19 patients.