A delivery of 300,000 surgical masks, 100,000 KN95 respirators and 50 units of ventilators arrived in batches to Pakistan as a courtesy of global technology company Tencent to support the hospital’s efforts in saving lives.

Progressive Education Network (PEN), a non-profit that provides free education to 64,000 children nationwide, and The Indus Hospital (TIH), a group of tertiary care multidisciplinary hospitals, are working jointly to provide medical supplies donated by Tencent to healthcare workers all over Pakistan.

Progressive Education Network operates 255 public schools in 15 districts of Pakistan where it has distributed food rations among 11,100 families of its students during the COVID-19 lockdown.

PEN is also distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which included masks, gloves, goggles, body suits and sanitizers, among healthcare staff in 103 hospitals in 43 cities of the country. PEN and The Indus Hospital have partnered to aid the healthcare workers by providing them essential protective equipment free-of-cost.

To aid this effort, Tencent, one of the global leading technology companies with presence in Pakistan through popular products such as PUBG Mobile and Tencent Cloud, offers a lending hand with a donation of 300,000 surgical masks, 100,000 KN95 respirators and 50 units of ventilators. The donation arrived in Sindh in batches in early June.

“PEN is working hard to support our nation’s healthcare staff as they make personal sacrifices during this pandemic,” said Omar Khayyam Sheikh, Chairman of the Board of Progressive Education Network. “With help from Tencent, we can amplify our efforts to aid healthcare workers on the front lines of this battle.”

The Indus Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Abdul Bari Khan said that a donation such as this from Tencent not only helps the health authorities in Pakistan, but also boosts morale and signifies that this is a collective fight and we will get through this global crisis together.

He added, “Close to 20% of the COVID-19 testing is happening in Indus Hospital’s laboratory based in Karachi. The medical frontliners need to be equipped with the right tools to perform their duties. We are glad that Tencent has been actively participating in any way they can to support organizations like ours to ensure the health and safety of the people.”

This kind gesture will help PEN and The Indus Hospital to respond to the COVID-19 situation more strongly within the country. This donation is in continuation of Tencent’s donation of 300,000 surgical masks to Pakistan via Pakistan’s Embassy in China, as its support towards Pakistan’s battle against the coronavirus.

CEO, Progressive Education Network, Dr Muhammad Najeeb Khan said that during Covid-19 , PEN has  distributed food rations among 11,100 student families in 189 public schools nationwide.

PEN has also provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) free-of-cost to healthcare staff in 103 hospitals in 43 cities, including 20,951 body suits, 2,740 gowns, 29,453 surgical masks, 4,772 N95/KN95 masks, 52,247 latex gloves, 2,735 goggles, 1,113 face shields, 806 litres of sanitizer and 1,831 litres of mineral water.

The Indus Hospital’s 450-bed hospital in Karachi and 350-bed hospital in Muzaffargarh, Punjab have both been assigned as designated COVID-19 hospitals. Additionally, TIH’s primary clinics and mobile facilities are actively involved in screening and testing patients.