SIBU, May 7: Volunteers play a vital role in the success of community ventures, including the fight against Covid-19, said Dr Mohamad Ng Siah Huat, the acting director of Sibu Hospital.
While many remain faceless and nameless, as they were usually behind the scenes, the Sibu Hospital counted them as powerful allies in the battle to overcome challenges brought on by the virus.
He said these while receiving a batch of donated PPE garments from a group of volunteers today.
Taking the latest donation to the Sibu Hospital as an example, he said: “I was made to understand that this batch of PPE garments comes from the kindness and effort of many individuals.”
From the Danish company, Fibretex, which sponsored 306,000 sq m of Spunbond Meltblown fabric through Jacqueline Fong of Tanoti in Kuching, who in turn had contacted her friend in Sibu for assistance in bringing the right people into the group, and coordinating the delivery of the materials and production, all these would not have been possible without volunteers.
“Everyone involved in this did not charge a single sen. It was all done on a volunteer basis. GD Express stepped forth and prioritized the transportation of the materials from Kuching to Sibu. Then the Pansar boys led local logistics, while Kelly General Trading, a garment production centre, gathered volunteers to sew the PPE gowns.”
Dr. Mohamad also said his medical colleagues were inspired by how readily locals here lent a helping hand.
“In any community or public driven ventures, volunteers are a very powerful army of allies, and in this town, we are blessed to have so many of them,” he said.
And in the case of Covid-19, he said for those who wanted to help but wouldn’t know how, they should realise that they were already helping by staying home and not venturing out unnecessarily.
“Just because there are certain relaxations in the movement of the people, doesn’t mean everyone needs to go out,” he said, advising the public to remain vigilant against the virus.
Regarding the production of the PPE gowns, Terrie Hii of Kelly General Trading said it took six volunteers, a week to produce the 1,000 pieces which would be for use in the operating theatre and isolation wards.
“We are glad that we can do our little part. Hence when we were called for our help, we immediately said yes,” she said.
She noted the true heroes in the fight against Covid-19 were the frontliners who had to expose themselves to the risk of contracting the virus and for the long hours the frontliners had to endure.
“Give thanks to them, not us,” she said. —DayakDaily
