GEORGE TOWN, Aug 27 — A number of Penang-based non-government organisations (NGO) have responded to appeals by the Penang Hospital for much-needed facilities and medical equipment due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the state.
This morning, One Hope Charity and Welfare donated a 40-foot refrigerated container for the hospital’s forensic department.
Its chairman Datuk Chua Sui Hau today said that the container would serve as a special morgue and was able to store between 36 and 50 bodies of COVID-19 victims.
He said the NGO had responded to the hospital’s urgent need for the facility due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in Penang.
“We received the request for assistance from the hospital a few days ago, telling us that the hospital’s mortuary was overloaded and it urgently needs a refrigerated container to store the remains of the deceased,” he told reporters after the handover at the hospital’s forensic department here.
Penang Health Department deputy director (medical) Dr Nur Aslina Bahakodin, Penang Hospital director Datuk Dr Teo Gim Sian, Penang Hospital Forensic Department chief Datuk Dr Zahari Noor and One Hope Charity advisor Datuk Seri R. Arunasalam were present at the event.
Aside from the container, Chua said One Hope also donated two Intensive Care Cardiology (ICC) beds with required instruments to the hospital.
“The value of the two ICC beds, which is hoped to improve the hospital’s facilities, is around RM54,000,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Penang Hindu Association (PHA) and the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) have also donated three units of oxygen concentrators to HPP.
PHA Chairman P. Murugiah said that the oxygen concentrators would provide additional support for the hospital to be used by COVID-19 patients.
He said that both PHA and TFA have managed to procure five oxygen concentrators, with each unit costing approximately RM3,500.
“Three of them are donated to the HPP COVID-19 Care Center while the remaining two will be used as part of the Free Home Oxygen Concentrator Loan Programme by PHA and TFA for COVID-19 patients that are confined at home,” he said.
