CAG arm, partners give 1,380 oxygen concentrators to Indonesia

Changi Foundation - the philanthropic arm of Changi Airport Group (CAG) - and more than 30 airport partners from various sectors including retail, engineering and construction, have donated 1,380 oxygen concentrators for Indonesia's fight against Covid-19.

Staff at Changi Airport also pitched in for the initiative.

The first shipment of oxygen concentrators arrived in Jakarta yesterday evening.

Cargo airline Cargolux and Singapore Airlines, along with logistics companies Sats and Ceva Logistics, undertook the shipment of the oxygen concentrators from Los Angeles to Singapore and onwards to Jakarta.

In a statement yesterday, CAG said it has worked closely with the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore to facilitate the donation.

"The Indonesia Ministry of Health will deploy these oxygen concentrators to hospitals in the country, providing assistance to Covid-19 patients. Oxygen concentrators are useful for Covid-19 patients experiencing a drop in oxygen levels, leading to respiratory distress.

"The portable machine can be used for hours without the need for replacement or refill of any other material," the statement said.

Indonesia has been grappling with a spike in Covid-19 cases since June due to the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The country has recorded over 3.9 million cases and more than 122,600 deaths as at yesterday.

CAG chief executive Lee Seow Hiang said: "We stand with the people of Indonesia during this difficult time and sincerely hope that our contribution will go some way towards saving precious lives."

Indonesia's Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo said: "This unprecedented situation requires solid communication and collaboration between us to fight the Covid-19 virus.

"No single country can fight this pandemic alone, so strong cooperation is needed.

"Indonesia and Singapore have showcased the true meaning of 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'."

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Singapore had arranged for regular shipments of emergency oxygen supplies to Indonesia.

Over 500 tonnes of oxygen were expected to be shipped to Indonesia under the programme.