The SM Group on Tuesday said it has allocated P100 million to provide personal protective equipment, Covid-19 test kits, alcohol and other medical supplies to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and other hospitals.
SM, known for its chain of shopping malls, said it reached out to Manila Healthtek Inc., the producer of the local test kits developed by the UP-National Institutes of Health team, to distribute 20,000 tests for free to government hospitals, once approved for use.
SM has also been working with both PGH and RITM to determine how to expand laboratory testing capacity.
“As there is a local shortage of personal protective equipment—face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers, SM is bringing these PPEs in for government hospitals who badly need them,” the company said.
To provide PPEs and medical supplies to an even wider network of hospitals, SM has also been working with the UP Medical Foundation Inc. to reach their network of hospitals, it said.
Meanwhile, AC Health, through Ayala Foundation, said it started its distribution of N95 masks for use of key hospitals in Manila, Quezon City, and other locations.
More than 10,000 N95 masks were distributed directly or through Department of Health channels to different health institutions, as well as to partner-institutions that serve communities outside Metro Manila.
Among others, it gave the said N95 masks to PGH, RITM, San Lazaro Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Quezon City General Hospital, Quirino Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center and Ospital ng Maynila.