As COVID-19 vaccination drives expand globally, many of our frontline colleagues are among the first to get inoculated. Leading by example, IHH Healthcare Managing Director & CEO Dr Kelvin Loh and Group COO Joe Sim also received their first dose of vaccine in early January.
In Singapore, 50 frontline staff from our two Mount Elizabeth Hospitals made history by being the first batch of private healthcare workers in Singapore to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on 9 January. In solidarity with staff, IHH Healthcare Singapore CEO Dr Prem Nair and COO Dr Noel Yeo, also opted to be vaccinated.
The vaccination programme has since been rolled out to frontline workers across our other hospitals and facilities in Singapore. As of 21 January, some 4,000 of our frontline staff at IHH Singapore have received their vaccine.
In Turkey, some 11,000 Acibadem healthcare professionals took their vaccinations within the first five days of roll-out.
More than 130 healthcare professionals in Chengdu and Shanghai have been vaccinated.
“We are pleased to contribute to defeating the pandemic,” said Dr Loh. “I encourage all who have the opportunity to get vaccinated to do so earliest. Because only together can we win this pandemic war and save many lives.”
In all the countries we operate in, we are ready to help the governments administer COVID-19 vaccine. We also commit to provide free vaccination to all our 53,000 employees once the vaccine is available in these markets, and will bear any costs necessary to do so.