As COVID-19 continues to seriously affect every corner of the globe, Taiwan has also experienced a sudden outbreak, with over 1,000 new cases reported in May. As Taiwan enters a level 3 lockdown, the TSMC Charity Foundation (台積電慈善基金會與台積公司)contributes its unwavering support for societal causes, providing resources for medical facilities, rural education, the disadvantaged, and much more.
Initiative #1: A call for businesses to help frontline personnel reduce testing pressures
To show good will to medical professionals fighting day and night against the current outbreak, Chairperson of the TSMC Charity Foundation, Sophie Chang, has announced a donation of ten zero-contact medical stations to hospitals in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Tainan and areas hit the hardest, including the greater Taipei area and Changhua County. These donations will provide a safer and more comfortable environment by reducing medical personnel's risk of contact with the virus, and will allow them to report testing results in just 25 minutes, which is crucial for effective treatment and contact tracing. Through Chairperson Chang's initiative, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) and the Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation (VIS) both answered the call by offering a testing station to each of the following hospitals: Taipei City Hospital, MOHW Taipei Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch.
Oxygen for India: fighting the pandemic in Taiwan and beyond
During this crucial period, Chairperson Sophie also announced the donation of 400 Taiwan-made oxygen concentrators to hospitals and quarantine hotels throughout the island – 100 for each city government in Taipei and New Taipei, as well as 200 to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control for distribution in the most needed areas. The TSMC Charity Foundation has not forgotten the plight abroad, with India suffering a serious outbreak between April and May, 4,570 colleagues in Taiwan participated in the funding of almost NT$12 million and worked with TSMC to donate 1,000 oxygen concentrators, as well as 30 Taiwanese oxygen cylinders in order to help India overcome its current woes.
Additionally, Chairperson Sophie will personally contribute with her charity foundation to donate 10,000 packages of medical equipment, investing almost NT$6 million. The medical equipment packages will include waterproof isolation suits, protective eyewear, hair nets, disposable blue medical shoe covers and plastic gloves. Through medical equipment support, TSMC joins with other partners to invest in hospitals that care for the elderly as part of the Networking of Love program. Likewise, national nurse unions can then provide more practical protection and aid for frontline medical personnel.
Acting as the frontline's back-up support: medical personnel receive fully equipped medical gift packages (pictures one and two from left to right). TSMC initiates donation drive to provide zero contact medical stations for the frontline (right).