Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited or GULF presented a donation of 5 million baht to the Police Medicine Foundation under the Patronage of the Supreme Patriarch to fund the procurement of eight pressure-regulated volume-control transport ventilators. This essential device will enhance the hospital’s capacity to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent increase in the number of patients.

Mr. Sitamon Ratanavadi, on behalf of Mr. Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Energy Development, Public Company Limited stated, “Public health and medical readiness is crucial in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. Gulf Group indeed realizes the importance of this, so we are more than happy to support the procurement of essential medical devices to ensure medical staff are sufficiently equipped to handle the rising number of COVID-19 patients. We would also like to give encouragement to all medical personnel and public health workers for their dedication. With everyone’s cooperation, I hope that we will get through this difficult time soon.”

Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, Commissioner-General, Royal Thai Police said, “The donation will definitely benefit the Police General Hospital and patients themselves since the foundation will be able to use the money to purchase necessary lifesaving medical equipment for COVID-19 patients. On a separate note, the overview of setting up screening checkpoints around Bangkok and its surrounding provinces in the past week was good so far. The citizens have cooperated, and Royal Thai Police has supported the crucial equipment needed for the police in charge because they have to work closely with the general public. In addition, we would like to ask for everyone’s cooperation to let the authorities measure the body temperature, disclose the relevant information and always listen to reliable news”

Pol Lt Gen Dr Witoon Nitiwarangkul, Director, Police General Hospital said, “Currently, the Police General Hospital has already received 33 cases of COVID-19 patients, comprising 24 policemen and 9 civilians, of which 7 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in critical condition. If the hospital does not separate COVID-19 patients from other patients, the disease may spread within the hospital. The Police General Hospital has already planned to close one building, the Chalerm Phrakiat Rama IX Building, and use it as a designated COVID-19 ward. However, it is not possible to do this right away as the hospital needs to transform the existing patient rooms into negative pressure rooms to reduce transmission which required moving all patients out of the building, which we have done. We are in the process of upgrading the building in line with infectious disease and infection prevention protocols, but we need more equipment since this was originally not an ICU ward. The hospital therefore needs to purchase additional equipment including ventilators, vital signs monitors, and other devices. Once the renovation is completed, there will be 150 beds to accommodate COVID-19 patients, both with severe and mild symptoms. The renovation is expected to take 1-2 months.

With Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited’s donation of 5 million baht to fund the procurement of ventilators, which are essential in a situation like this, the Police General Hospital will use these devices in the designated COVID-19 ward being prepared. These ventilators are much-needed, and it is likely that more will be needed, since this group of patients have started to enter the ICU and the number of cases may increase in the future.” Pol Lt Gen Dr Witoon Nitiwarangkul, concluded.

As the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand grows, Gulf Group is prepared to be another strong force in supporting healthcare professionals and public health workers. As such, Gulf Group has recently donated 29 million baht to the fight against COVID-19, providing 20 million baht to Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, 4 million baht to Rajavithi Hospital, 4 million baht to Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute and 1 million baht to the Central Chest Institute of Thailand to support the procurement of medical equipment for COVID-19 patients in line with the company’s mission to promote the sustainable well-being of local communities and the general society.