PUTRAJAYA – In providing a ‘home away from home’ for families of paediatric patients, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC Malaysia) and Ministry of Health (MOH) will be setting up a Ronald McDonald House at Hospital Tunku Azizah in Kuala Lumpur, formerly known as Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak Kuala Lumpur. The Ronald McDonald House will be the third of its kind in Malaysia.
RMHC Malaysia and MOH recently signed an agreement officiating the establishment of the newest Ronald McDonald House, which is expected to be completed by the 2nd quarter of 2021.
RMHC Malaysia President and Managing Director, as well as McDonald’s Malaysia Local Operating Partner Azmir Jaafar, said: “RMHC Malaysia is committed to changing the lives of Malaysian children.
“We’re honoured to partner with the Ministry of Health in providing families of paediatric patients at Hospital Tunku Azizah with this much-needed accommodation facility, especially for B40 families that live outside of Kuala Lumpur. The house will help families remain close to their critically ill children and focus on their treatment and recovery.”
As part of the agreement, RMHC Malaysia will donate the funds needed to furnish and convert the Medi Hotel in Hospital Tunku Azizah into Ronald McDonald House, an accommodation facility for families of paediatric patients who are receiving treatment at the hospital.
The Ronald McDonald House will be located on the 10th floor of the hospital parking complex, equipped with 20 family rooms as well as a dining area, lounge, kitchen, laundry room, prayer room, playroom and other facilities for occupants. RMHC Malaysia will also help to sustain and maintain the facility at Hospital Tunku Azizah.
“This underscores our promise of ‘Keeping Families Close’ through the Ronald McDonald House initiative,” added Azmir.
Aside from the Ronald McDonald House in Hospital Tunku Azizah, the two other Ronald McDonald Houses are located at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HCTM-UKM) in Kuala Lumpur, which has been operating for more than 20 years, as well as at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (Hospital USM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
“The Government commends RMHC Malaysia for driving an initiative such as this. Temporary accommodations such as the Ronald McDonald House is very unique as it enables families that do not have the financial means – especially those from the B40 group – to stay together with their children during the extended periods of paediatric medical treatment,” said Minister of Health Dato’ Sri Dr Adham Baba.
Azmir also emphasised that the construction of this latest Ronald McDonald House would not have been made possible without the contribution from McDonald’s customers via the RMHC Malaysia coin box located at more than 300 McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, business partners, McDonald’s employees, as well as franchisees.
Contact the Ronald McDonald House Charities Malaysia at 03-7843 3388 if you are interested to volunteer at Ronald McDonald House at Hospital Tunku Azizah or collaborate with RMHC Malaysia to help Malaysian children and their families. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021
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