KINTA CHAPTER’S SABAH RELIEF FUND FOR THE FRONT-LINERS - Charity Knows No Boundaries
Kinta Chapter No. 3212 E.C. initiated a charity collection for a non-masonic charity titled:
“Kinta Chapter’s Sabah Relief Fund for the Front-Liners” on the 23rd of October 2020.
It began in October 2020, when Kinta Chapter was contacted by healthcare workers about the dire and worrisome situation in Sabah.
Many of them expressed concerns that they did not have sufficient Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and that they had to reuse and recycle PPE that normally would be disposed. This was considered the main reason why many of their healthcare workers contracted the virus during the pandemic.
With this in mind, Kinta’s Chapter Companion Dr. Arvinder Singh spoke to the Malaysian Medical Association’s Secretary in Sabah, Bro Dr. Senthilnathan, a member of Lodge Kinabalu.
From this conversation we learned of the specific needs of the Sabah Hospitals and that while there were many efforts taking place to raise money for PPE supplies, the Hospitals still lacked funds to adequately deal with the dangerous Covid-19 pandemic in Sabah.
Choosing to answer this urgent call for help, Kinta Chapter’s First Principal, Excellent Companion Dr. Harbaksh Singh and his son Companion Dr. Arvinder Singh immediately proceeded to contact various organisations, hospitals and individual Brethren in Sabah to further identify individual organisations specific frontline needs. We realised that despite numerous charities and societies kicking off initiatives to collect funds, the contributions received from the general public and well-wishers was just not sufficient. Armed with this information, Excellent Companion Dr. Harbaksh immediately called for the Kinta Charity Committee to meet to come out with a plan on how the Chapter could help.
The Committee decided to initiate a charity drive for this worthy non-masonic charity. A sum target of RM13,600.00 was identified for the following critical items to two organisations;
Donated to Malaysian Medical Association (MMA Sabah Chapter)
● PAPR (Air Purifier for Aerosols) - RM7,000
Gifted to Tanoti Sdn. Bhd. for bulk Purchase of a mixture of PPE for front-liners for the sum up to RM6,600.00
● Isolation Gowns
● Hood Covers
● Boot Covers
● Show Covers
● Surgical Gowns
A WhatsApp message was posted by our Charity Steward, Excellent Companion Wu Chee Thutt, appealing for donations from our Companions in the Chapter.
Kinta Chapter Companions quickly responded to the call and generously donated. We managed to collect a grand total of RM6,800.
The Kinta Chapter Almoner then communicated with the District Benevolent Board representative, Worshipful Brother Dr. Vishar Kumar, to solicit funds. The District Benevolent Board agreed to match the sum of RM6,800.00. So for this worthy charity, two separate cheques were prepared and handed over to the two organizations for their use to keep the front-line heath care workers safe.
Prior to this, as a proactive measure Companion Dr. Arvinder Singh completed the needed background work on how Kinta Chapter would best dispense the collected funds to the front liners in Sabah. After discussions with Lodges and Chapters in Sabah, it was decided that all donations collected will be channelled to both Tanoti Sdn. Bhd. and the Malaysian Medical Association.
The needs of Sabah were indeed urgent. The PAPR system was urgently needed as hospitals in Sabah had decided to use High Flow Cannulated Masks instead of ventilators. This was due to the high cost of purchasing and maintaining the ventilators, up to RM150,000.00 for each ventilator. Additionally, due to the aerosolization that can happen with the high flow cannulated masks, a PAPR (Air Purifier) was needed to thus help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among front-liners and patients.
The equipment listed above, except for the N95 masks, were either reusable, washable or able to be re-sterilised.
This project will go down in our annuals as a truly noble cause, which when initiated by Excellent Companion Dr. Harbaskh Singh, was well supported by the Companions of Kinta Chapter 3212 E.C.
