The first batch of much-needed medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah received the donations at Karachi airport. Consul General of China in Karachi Li Bijian and Vice Consul of China in Karachi Zhang Hao were also present. The remainder of the donation is expected to reach Pakistan soon.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Pakistan, government and people of China have been showing solidarity with and providing assistance to our iron brother Pakistan,” Li Bijian said. On behalf of Ambassador of China to Pakistan Yao Jing, Li expressed his sincere thanks to Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation for their generous donation. “The efforts by the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan to deal with the pandemic have been very strong and impressive,” he said, and hoped that after the fresh supplies, Pakistan will eventually be able to win the battle against the pandemic.
“We hope the donation will strengthen Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19 and prevent further spread of the virus. We are committed to doing everything we can to make a difference, especially overcoming the tough logistical challenges for delivery and getting the medical supplies to where it is needed most as fast as we can,” the representative of Jack Ma Foundation said. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will transport and distribute the supplies throughout the country. The shipment is part of the donation of medical supplies to 10 Asian countries announced on March 21. Collectively, the nations will receive a total of 1.8 million masks, kits for testing of 210,000 people, 36,000 pieces of protective clothing, as well as essential medical equipment such as ventilators and forehead thermometers.
This donation is among a number of aid initiatives from the Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation to support the areas of the world most affected by the Covid-19 crisis, sourcing and delivering various types of medical supplies to Asia, United States, Africa, Italy, Belgium, France, Slovenia, Spain and Latin America.
The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation also supported the publication of a handbook with key lessons and experience from doctors, healthcare workers, and hospital administrators at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU), who were on the frontline of COVID-19 treatment in China and crucial to slowing its spread. The handbook is available for global medical health professionals at https://covid-19.alibabacloud.com/.
Established by Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, the Jack Ma Foundation was founded on December 15, 2014, and has been focusing on education, entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, and the environment.
The Alibaba Foundation, established in December 2011, aims to create a culture that encourages people to get involved in philanthropy, make it sustainable and genuinely contribute to civil society and nature.