Covid-19: After ‘outpouring of support’, S’pore Red Cross sending S$2.26m to China for medical gear

SINGAPORE — After an outpouring of support from Singaporeans, the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is sending S$2.26 million in aid to China to buy and distribute medical gear that is expected to reach more than 100,000 residents caught up in the Covid-19 outbreak.

In a media statement on Wednesday (Feb 19), the SRC said the funds would be used to buy and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE), emergency medical equipment and disinfectant items. Some will go to three hospitals in Hubei province and other facilities.

SRC’s first tranche of Covid-19 aid comes out of a total of more than S$6 million it has raised since its call for donations on Feb 4, including S$1 million from the Singapore Government.

Of the total donations to SRC, US$2 million (S$2.78 million) was given by clients of wealth management consultancy Signature Consulting. A cheque for this sum was handed to SRC on Wednesday by the consultancy's director, Mr Alvin Youw.

The SRC said the rest of the funds raised would be directed to China in the months ahead as it worked with local partners to identify suitable projects.

Those seeking to donate funds to the SRC's relief aid to China can do so via its website, or by cash, cheque, mobile banking, internet banking and the DBS PayLah! app.

“Over the past two weeks, we have seen an outpouring of support from individuals and organisations, for which we are grateful,” said SRC secretary general and chief executive officer Benjamin William at a media briefing.

“By helping to stem the outbreak in China, we are helping to stem the outbreak in the rest of the world,” he added.

Mr William said the PPEs will be procured and distributed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Societies (IFRC).

The SRC-funded emergency medical equipment, which includes non-invasive ventilators, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors and respiratory humidifiers, will be sent to three hospitals in Hubei province in collaboration with World Vision.

World Vision will also use the SRC donations to distribute hygiene items and disinfectants as well as disseminate health messages to seven social welfare homes for children in China, the SRC said.

However, Mr William said that obtaining complete sets of PPEs is difficult due to a global shortage of some essential items, such as masks and coveralls.

He said that while he was confident the IFRC would eventually procure the protective equipment funded by the SRC, how long it will take them to do so was still uncertain.

Ms Alka Kapoor, head of logistics and supply chain for IFRC Asia Pacific, said that prices for some of these items have increased by four or five times since the outbreak.

She told TODAY that China itself was one of the world's major supply hubs for PPE items, and that the IFRC now has to seek out suppliers in other regions.

"I've been working with Red Cross for 19 years, and this is the first time I've seen a huge supply chain problem like this," she said.

Mr Necephor Mghendi, head of disaster and crisis for IFRC Asia Pacific, said that as per standard procedure, the IFRC would also track each item funded by the SRC that is sent to China in order to ensure that the aid will reach healthcare workers.

To make sure that all donated funds disbursed are accounted for, the SRC said it will also send a staff member to the IFRC Beijing Office this week.

Mr William said the SRC is now starting work on its next tranche of aid to China that is set to involve funding 10 negative pressure ambulances, which sterilise and filter air that enters and leaves the medical cabins of the vehicles.

These are already being produced in China, and will cost an estimated total of S$500,000.

Mr William said that while the SRC was sending relief aid to China, it was still focusing on domestic efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.

Among other things, the SRC is “ramping up the frequency of befriending calls to 119 isolated seniors, from fortnightly to weekly, to allay their concerns on the coronavirus outbreak”. Another 94 seniors, identified as “high risk” were being visited by SRC volunteers.