JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Media OutReach - 12 July 2021 - To support Indonesia's efforts in the urgent fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanoto Foundation today announced it is donating 500 tons of oxygen to hospitals. The donation is made by pulp and paper maker APRIL Group's Indonesia operations PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP), based in Riau's Pangkalan Kerinci.

Tanoto Foundation is an independent philanthropy organization established by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto in 1981, and has previously partnered APRIL Group and PT RAPP on a variety of community development, human capital development and COVID-19 relief programs.

The surge in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has caused a shortage of oxygen in hospitals, especially for patients with serious to severe symptoms. The Ministry of Industry has coordinated with several companies across various industries that are able to produce medical oxygen to ramp up the supply of oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the country.

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita expressed his appreciation for Tanoto Foundation and its partner PT RAPP, which has designated a part of its oxygen plant facility for pulp bleaching to producing medical oxygen. Five hundred tons of oxygen will be sent from Pangkalan Kerinci to Jakarta from Friday, July 9, 2021, in five shipments, with each carrying 100 tons of oxygen.

Dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, the Deputy Minister of Health, expressed appreciation for the donation made by the Tanoto Foundation and APRIL Group. He said: "With the rise of COVID-19 cases, we will need more oxygen for treatment and to save lives. We thank the Tanoto Foundation and APRIL Group for providing oxygen to our hospitals in Java which are treating patients with serious to severe symptoms. The pandemic calls for the collective effort of all existing stakeholders such as the government, the private sector and the people."

Anderson Tanoto, Member of the Tanoto Foundation Board of Trustees, said: "When we received information on the shortage of oxygen in hospitals for COVID-19 patients, we felt the need to quickly respond by carrying out swift distribution of oxygen produced by PT RAPP to Java. The distribution will be supervised by the Ministry of Health, ensuring the hospitals that are in dire need will receive the necessary supply."

Mr Tanoto added: "I would like to express my gratitude for the support of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Health, which has facilitated the transportation and distribution of the oxygen in less than 36 hours to Java. We hope that the donation can support the treatment of COVID-19 patients and save precious lives."

Data from the Ministry of Health revealed that the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country in recent weeks has coincided with the sharp increase in demand for medical oxygen from 400 tons per day to 2,500 tons.

About Tanoto Foundation

Tanoto Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization founded by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto based on the belief that every person should have the opportunity to realize his or her full potential. Tanoto Foundation programs stem from the belief that quality education accelerates equal opportunity. We harness the transformative strength of education to realize people's full potential and improve lives. Tanoto Foundation focuses on making an impact in three areas: improving learning environments, future leaders development, as well as medical research and sciences.

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