The Covid-19 reagents from Osimal Foundation.
KOTA KINABALU: Osimal Foundation has secured very limited supply of the reagents for the Sabah Health Department to continue Covid-19 testing.
They were handed over to the Sabah Health Department yesterday evening.
Osimal Foundation is now trying to secure more reagents from suppliers overseas following the disclosure of the department that the Kota Kinabalu Health Laboratory could not carry any more tests because of shortage of Covid-19 reagents.
The foundation is expecting supplies of 1000 pieces of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) meant for medical frontliners by March 28 and second batch of supplies consisting of 2000 pieces KN.95 masks, 5000 pieces N.95 masks and 2000 pieces of medical protective clothing.
It is also negotiating directly without going through any middlemen or any profit-making venture, with a factory in China to supply more PPE and N.95 masks as well as making plans to purchase ventilators for Sabah hospitals.
The funds used to purchase these medical supplies are donated by friends, including their corporations. If any other organizations or the State Government willing to meet some of the bills, it will be most welcomed.
Osimal is a charitable body, incorporated under the Trustees (Incorporation) Ordinance (Cap 148). It is a non-profit making body and it is mainly funded by donations from its own trustees and good friends and their companies.
Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd and Berjaya Land Berhad have been very generous in this donation drive to fight Covid-19.
Osimal has been co-ordinating the building of hostels for schools in remote areas of Sabah such as in Kg Buayan, Penampang, Kg Matanggal Paitan and soon in Kg Longkogungan, Penampang.
It has also been sponsoring financially disadvantaged pupils in several schools in Membakut and Papar areas for their lunches and sometimes books. The foundation has also been collecting food sponsorship from companies in Kota Kinabalu and giving them to several students hostels in the remote areas of Sabah.
A number of students have graduated from higher learning institutions who received financial assistance organised by Osimal Foundation.
One new project being undertaken now is to coordinate the construction of houses for single mothers with young children in the kampungs. One house has just been completed at Kg Kobusak Penampang.
Osimal clarified that it is not fake as alleged. The foundation carries out its projects in the most transparent manner and all funds collected are fully utilised for its projects. Administration costs are solely borne personally by its trustees.
Its chairman is Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, former Chief Justice of Malaysia.
The acronym ‘Osimal’ in Kadazan/Dusun language means generous and plentiful.