Allianz's firms set up foundation to help poor

JAKARTA (JP): The Allianz's companies in Indonesia, PT Asuransi Allianz Utama Indonesia and PT Asuransi Allianz Aken Life, have set up the Allianz Care Foundation with the aim of paying medical bills for the needy who are unable to cover their treatment.

The establishment of the charity and nonprofit organization was intended mainly to help alleviate the burden of economic constraint and hardship, Herris B. Simandjuntak, managing director of Allianz Utama, said on Friday.

Herris said that the care foundation was launched on Wednesday at a ceremony for the signing of a cooperation agreement between the foundation and public hospitals under the supervision of the Jakarta office of the Ministry of Health. The hospitals -- Koja, Pasar Rebo, Tarakan, Budi Asih and Haji Jakarta hospitals -- were chosen as they had the best facilities for the needs of people seeking treatment.

The hospitals will take on the role of selecting cases that are funded by the Allianz Care Foundation.

Agreement

The cooperation agreement between the care foundation and the hospitals was signed by Sulastomo, chairman of the Allianz Care Foundation, and Aslan Lasman, head of the city office of the Ministry of Health.

Among the guests at the signing ceremony were H. Djaelani, deputy governor of welfare affairs; Manfred Wittau, president of Allianz Utama, and Heinrich Seeman, the German ambassador to Indonesia.

"As a company which has been operating in Indonesia since 1981, we would like to help lighten the burden of the poor people in Jakarta who can't afford to pay medical expenses," Manfred said.

Herris said that instructions for the implementation of the cooperation agreement would soon be worked out to enable the start of the services.

In the long run the foundation was planning to extend its activities in the areas of education and the environment for people living below the poverty line, he said. (hhr)