UOB Indonesia donates over 500 oxygen cylinders as local Covid-19 cases rise

United Overseas Bank (UOB) Indonesia announced that it has donated over 500 medical oxygen cylinders to the country’s health ministry as the archipelago grapples with a resurgence in Covid-19 cases.

Photo credit: UOB Indonesia

In order to facilitate the export of the medical oxygen cylinders from Singapore to Indonesia, the bank has collaborated with the Indonesian embassy in the city-state. A shipment of 532 cylinders of oxygen will arrive in the country on August 11 and will be distributed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to hospitals in need.

Over the past month, Indonesia has faced a surge in Covid-19 cases, driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus. This has overwhelmed hospitals and seen daily Covid-19 deaths reach record levels.

“We hope that through our donation, we can contribute to the help and medical care given to patients with severe respiratory symptoms, as having sufficient oxygen supply is crucial to their treatment,” said Hendra Gunawan, president director of UOB Indonesia.

According to data from Indonesia’s health ministry, the country currently needs a total of 1,928 tons of oxygen per day for patients under intensive care. Indonesia has a national oxygen production capacity of up to 866,000 tons per year, with a utility rate of 640,000 tons.

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In May 2020, UOB Indonesia donated personal protective equipment sets – which included 100,000 surgical masks, 5,000 N95 masks, and 1,000 hazmat suits – to 10 hospitals across Indonesia. The bank said it has also donated household essentials to 1,500 underprivileged families.

East Ventures, a sector agnostic VC firm based in Indonesia, recently raised US$1.2 million to provide 1,450 oxygen concentrators through an initiative called Indonesia Pasti Bisa Safeguards Oxygen.