Honda Khiang Khang Thai Fund Update on the Progress of Negative Pressure Mobile Bed Production—Fund Provides Another 10 Honda Motorlances to Fight Against COVID-19
(Bangkok – April 16, 2020) The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people’s lives around the world. Thai society is also affected and putting full efforts into fighting against the pandemic, which has led to a shortage of necessary medical supplies and equipment. As the Honda Khiang Khang Thai Fund (HKKT), under the Honda Thailand Foundation, is here to stay and ready to help the Thai people fight against COVID-19, it understands the importance of protecting the public health system as well as ensuring the safety of the medical staff helping patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The HKKT Fund has worked in cooperation with Vajira Hospital to determine the best way to adapt Honda’s skills and expertise to produce 100 negative pressure mobile beds that will be distributed to over 90 hospitals across Thailand. The HKKT Fund will also provide another 10 Honda Motorlances (Motorcycle Modified for Emergency Rescue) as part of its relief efforts.
HKKT Fund Sets Up a Dedicated Team to Produce Mobile Beds and Provides 10 Additional Honda Motorlances (Motorcycle Modified for Emergency Rescue)
Mr. Pitak Pruittisarikorn, Managing Director of the HKKT Fund, said, “Honda is ready to stand with the Thai people in any situation. We have set up a dedicated team to develop the negative pressure mobile beds so there is no waiting for the much-needed imported equipment. Production is taking place at our plant in Ayutthaya province by volunteer associates from the assembly line, which has been suspended temporarily, with the close cooperation of and quality control by the Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University. The mobile beds have been tested, approved, and started production, and we expect to gradually deliver all of them to over 90 hospitals around the country by early May 2020. The HKKT Fund will also put 10 motorlances (Motorcycle Modified for Emergency Rescue) into service. As they are modified CBR250R motorcycles that offer high performance and versatility, the motorlances are well suited for congested areas and narrow lanes to better access and transport COVID-19 patients.”
Negative Pressure Mobile Beds—Short in Supply and Costly
Asst. Prof. Dr. Anusaeng Chitsomkasem, Associate Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, said, “In light of the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand, the university tried to develop a negative pressure mobile bed to make up for the limited number available in the country while meeting increasing demand. The cost of an imported mobile bed is as high as 500,000 to one million baht each. These mobile beds make transporting patients safe for everyone. Honda has improved the pressure adjustment and small droplet filtering systems of the original model, and the mobile bed can also accommodate the necessary oxygen tank. Tests by medical professionals yielded satisfactory results. Therefore I’d like to thank the Honda team and am grateful that they will distribute these mobile beds to hospitals around Thailand. After this situation is over, the mobile beds can be used for patients with tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases.”
Progress of HKKT’s Negative Pressure Mobile Bed production
Mr. Wallop Luangseenak, Administration Assistant General Manager, representing the volunteer engineering team from Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd., explained, “Our team enhanced Vajira Hospital’s original version of the negative pressure mobile bed. The improved version can pump out and filter air using a more efficient pressure adjustment system, with the air pressure controlled so it goes no lower than -20 pascal (newton per meter or N/m2) to prevent cross-contamination. The new HEPA Filter (High-efficiency Particulate Air Filter) can filter out 0.3 micron particles at 99.9% efficiency. We have improved the box so it is more compact and created more space so the oxygen tank can fit in. Our team is proud that we can adapt our automotive assembly skills to produce these negative pressure mobile beds. They will help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while enhancing safety for the medical staff who are taking care of patients in the high-risk group. We will gradually complete delivery of the 100 beds by early May 2020.”
Details of the medical equipment provided by the HKKT Fund
To help fight against COVID-19, the HKKT Fund is providing medical equipment worth over 40 million baht as follows::
HKKT ambulances: 10 Honda Step WGN vehicles modified with the cooperation of the National Institute for Emergency Medicine.
Motorlances: 10 Honda CBR250R motorcycles modified to provide versatile rescue and transport of COVID-19 patients.
Negative Pressure Mobile Beds: 100 units produced by volunteer production associates of Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Face Shields: 1,000 units produced by volunteer associates of Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and A.P. Honda Co., Ltd.
Personal Protective Equipment Suits (PPE Suits): 10,000 sets for frontline medical staff responsible for COVID-19 patients.
Face Masks: 100,000 units purchased from the Department of Corrections to distribute in communities near the hospitals.
Honda India Foundation pledges support towards India’s fight against COVID-19
(New Delhi – April 1, 2020) Honda India Foundation*, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of all Honda group companies in India, today pledged Rs. 11 crore aid for relief and prevention efforts for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in India.
As part of this aid, Honda will immediately supply 2,000 units of Honda engine powered High Pressure Backpack Sprayers to the various Government agencies. These light-weight powerful sprayers will be used for disinfectant fumigation at hospitals, public transport, railway stations, public canteens and other common areas. This unique initiative is taken by Honda in consultation with Government; and is part of the collaborative efforts by the automotive industry to support India’s preparation against COVID-19. Disinfecting public spaces is an extremely critical part of preventing & controlling the spread of the virus along with other aspects such as regular hand-washing etc.
Additionally, Honda will support local administration efforts in all its manufacturing locations. Honda will make ambulances stationed at all its plants available for medical emergencies and will offer support transporting food packets to the poor and underprivileged in these difficult times.
To combat the deadly impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Honda India Foundation will also contribute financial aid to relief funds of the Central & State governments in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan where manufacturing plants of Honda group companies are located. Furthermore, associates across all five Honda group companies in India have voluntarily pledged to donate one day’s salary towards the total relief aid.
Mr. Minoru Kato, Chairman, Honda India Foundation said, “the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented situation and calls for mass-collaboration at all levels of society. Corporations and individuals need to come forward and contribute towards India’s fight against COVID-19. Besides the monetary aid, we are immediately offering 2,000 units of Honda engine powered Backpack sprayers which would be a direct contribution to help in government’s fumigation drive at public places at this critical phase. We stand one with the Indian government in its spirited battle against the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Honda Motorcycle and scooter India Pvt Ltd
What activities are you involved in with regards to COVID-19?
* Distribution of Food Raw materials to nearby villagers
* Distribution of High pressure Honda Engine Sprayers
Please let us know the background of the activity based on people's lives and situation in each region.
* Many villagers living nearby our plant are from poor backgrounds & are daily wage earners.
* Their basic requirement is for raw food, however, they are not able to obtain raw food because of the country-wide lockdown.
* Since Honda is a responsible Company, it has decided to provide raw food to the needy people
* Local government bodies are not equipped with sanitizing machines which are necessary during this crisis.
* In Bengaluru, COVID- 19 positive cases have also been identified and Honda high pressure sprayers are helping to sanitize each corner of the 198 wards of BBMP Bengaluru.
Please share with us the activity story, as well as any difficulties that you faced during activities, and how you coped with the situation.
* People are not permitted to go out of their villages, due to strict police sanctions, however permission to visit other villages & Hospitals can be obtained by special request.
* Maintaining social distance in the crowed areas is one of the major issues in villages during distribution runs. Travelling between home and the factory as well as other locations is difficult.
What kind of feelings did you experience during your activities?
* I feel proud for being a part of the Company and I want to thank to Honda for giving me the opportunity to participate in this voluntary initiative in support of needy people during the crisis situation.
* Very happy to receive feedback from villagers regarding Company support and appreciation from the Government in praise of the Company's unique way of supporting the society.
Please share your positive message for the people in your community and all over the world.
* Honda is always striving towards the betterment of society and always showing its care for society through CSR initiatives
* Honda work towards resolving the problems of society with CSR initiatives
* Please be safe, take care of others’ safety also.
* Follow all the government guidelines during this situation & extend all possible support to overcome this crisis.