Tzu Chi Delivers 30.000 Masks for Hospitals in Medan

Tzu Chi Medan volunteers brought the masks to be distributed to 12 Covid-19 referral hospitals.

The scarcity of masks in Medan as a basic need - as one of the personal protective equipment of Covid-19, moved Tzu Chi Medan to distribute masks to hospitals that are referred to as Covid-19 treatments in North Sumatra Province.

"While waiting for the arrival of masks from Tzu Chi Jakarta, Tzu Chi Medan volunteers first divided 6 teams with a maximum number of 3 volunteers to distribute masks to 12 hospitals according to list obtained directly from the North Sumatra Provincial Health Agency," said Su Pun Wui, the coordinator of the distribution of masks. "Limiting the number of volunteers was in accordance with government recommendations to reduce the meeting of people in large numbers," she added.

Su Pun Wui explained that Tzu Chi Medan alone has postponed all activities since March 16, 2020 and urged all volunteers to stay at home. However, due to the urgency of distributing the masks, the number of volunteers who participated in distributing these masks was limited.

Volunteer Fast Motion

Dra. Peri Apt (in red hijab) was delighted to receive these masks since their stocks are thinning out.

Monday, 23 March 2020, when received a notification from the transportation party that the masks would arrive at the Tzu Chi Medan Office, the Cemara Asri complex, 4 volunteer teams immediately moved to take the masks and distribute them to the hospital. Meanwhile the other 2 teams moved the following day.The four volunteer teams distributed masks to 8 hospitals, namely RSUP Adam Malik, RSU Dr Pirngadi, Rumkit Putri Hijau KESDAM 1 / Bukit Barisan, RS USU Hospital, RS Royal Prima, RSU Vina Estetica, RSU Imelda, and RS Bunda Thamrin.

When the volunteers arrived at the Rumkit Putri Hijau Rumkit, the volunteers were welcomed by Sulistyawaty, the finance division of the Putri Hijau hospital. She said, "The masks stock in our hospital have thinned out, even though there is no patient suspect Corona is staying here, but everyone who comes to visit, we will give a mask. These masks from Tzu Chi really help us the medical team here and we are very grateful to the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation for the help of this mask."

Su Pun Wui, coordinator of masks distribution (left) handed the receipt to be signed by dr Hedy Tan upon receiving the masks from Tzu Chi.

Similar comments were expressed by the medical team at RSU Dr. Pirngadi. On that occasion Dra. Peri Apt expressed his gratitude to the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation. "We really need a mask because the masks from the province haven't arrived yet. When we were contacted by Tzu Chi about the help of masks, we were very happy because of the limitations of the masks, that our medical team was forced to wear masks made of cloth so that they could be reused, "he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Suhartina Darmadi MKM, Managing Director of RSU Royal Prima, "The hospital really needs a mask at this time, because we continue to look after every patient and also our medical team. During this time if there are patients with symptoms of suspect Covid-19, the hospital will refer the patient to a referral hospital for Covid-19 set by the government."

The following day on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, two volunteer teams continued to distribute masks to four hospitals, namely: RS Columbia Asia Hospital, RS Siloam, RS Murni Teguh, and RS St Elizabeth.

The hand over ceremony for RSU Royal Prima as received by Chief Director dr Suhartina Darmadai MKM (front, center)

There were a total of 12 hospitals with each given 2,500 masks, so the total masks distributed to hospitals in Medan were 30,000 masks.

Seeing the compassion shown by Tzu Chi volunteers, Desnita, a senior Tzu Chi volunteer in Medan, said she was touched. "I am very touched to see the sincerity of the Tzu Chi Medan volunteers who are ready to move to help distribute masks to hospitals that are currently very limited in supply. When asked, are the volunteers not afraid? The answer is that everyone must be very afraid of this virus, but I salute the volunteers who can defeat their fears to help distribute masks to the hospital so that the presence of a protective device in the form of a mask is expected to keep the awareness to the spread of the corona outbreak of Covid-19," Desnita said.

Translated by Chrestella Budyanto (Tzu Chi School)