- Contribution to support national COVID-19 vaccination efforts
Members of the Board and senior management of Maybank have collectively chipped in over RM2.27 million to fund the logistical and operational costs of COVID-19 vaccinations for the B40 community including Orang Asli, urban & rural poor, as well as the homeless. The programme will be undertaken through MERCY Malaysia’s COVID-19 Immunisation Surge Capacity Operation with the intention of helping more from these segments to gain access to vaccines as soon as possible.
Maybank Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said, “This fund collection was an idea which began earlier this year with a purpose of ensuring that those most vulnerable have access to vaccines and are able to develop herd immunity soonest possible. We felt it was critical as we realised that many from this segment needed to obtain vaccinations quickly given that they are breadwinners, working in frontlines, or because they were living in areas that did not have immediate access to health services.”
“Additionally, we are conscious of many of the homeless amongst us, particularly within the proximity of our head office in Kuala Lumpur, who could be easily exposed to infection by the COVID-19 virus given the exposed environment in which they are living.”
Tan Sri Zamzamzairani added that at a time when all efforts are being made to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus which had resulted in increasing number of cases and fatalities of late, the Maybank Board and senior management felt that it was crucial for those within vulnerable communities not to be missed out. “Given that we are now able to lend a hand towards enhancing vaccination efforts across the country by working with MERCY Malaysia, we want to take this opportunity to help those most in need to have the necessary access to COVID-19 prevention measures.”
The programme targets to administer a minimum of 225,000 vaccines (for 112,500 persons) from now until December 2021 – to help expedite the country’s immunisation process among identified vulnerable communities and those with limited accessibility. The vaccines will be provided complimentary by the government as per existing National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) process. The programme will be carried out by leveraging current ProtectHealth Corporation vaccination platforms under PICK in selected states in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, through the following channels:
- Mobile vaccine administration centres (PPVs) for underserved communities including urban and rural poor, Orang Asli, homeless and marginalised communities;
- Outreach vaccination (house visits) focusing on people that have limited access to PPVs or have restricted mobility, including the bedridden, disabled and sick; and
- Static PPV (with MERCY Malaysia as healthcare organiser).
Meanwhile, Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank, Datuk Nora Manaf said that everyone has a role to play in significantly reducing cases while learning to go about their lives safely by observing new interaction rules. In line with this, the Maybank Group has continuously encouraged all its employees to do their part in supporting the fight against COVID-19 wherever they are located.
“From ensuring they are made aware of safety and health protocols to protect themselves, our customers and communities, to encouraging them to live a healthy lifestyle and being a force of good in their communities, we want them to live out our purpose of humanising financial services each day,” she said. “Like all Malaysians, we look forward to coming out economically and socially stronger and better from the pandemic, so that together we can work for a brighter and more sustainable future for all.”
Maybank has been actively supporting efforts to help support the country’s fight against COVID-19. Recently the Bank committed a sum of RM14 million to upgrade the capacity at two major government hospitals namely Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang, to ensure the continued provision of adequate medical facilities and services and provide support to the healthcare system in coping with the surge of COVID-19 patients.
Last year, during the first phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO), the Group also contributed over RM20 million for the purchase of PPEs, ventilators and test kits to help in supporting the fight against COVID-19. In addition, its crowdfunding platform, MaybankHeart raised over RM3 million to assist vulnerable communities and support other COVID-19 initiatives.
In April last year, Maybank also developed Sama-Sama Lokal - a zero commission platform - with the aim of assisting small businesses such as hawkers, sundry shops and family run restaurants in local neighbourhoods which were suffering from reduced footfall. Currently, there are more than 9,000 merchants nationwide listed on the platform and it continues to receive positive response from the community.