The work day at MDA’s Logistics Center started about two months ago and has not stopped since, even for one minute. Dozens of employees, volunteers, youth volunteers and IDF soldiers, work day and night, in a humble and diligent way. They know that they are the team that provides the backing to the activities of tens of thousands of MDA volunteers and employees throughout the country and continue to work, head on, for the health and the well-being of the Israeli citizens.
The response to the Coronavirus converted the MDA Logistics Center in Holon into a factory. Overnight two massive tents where built, next to the existing storage buildings, hosting assembly lines for the employees and volunteers. 5,000 personal anti-viral protective kits were packed daily, in addition to 10,000 swab sampling kits, add to that additional logistic and medical equipment to deal with the Coronavirus and the routing EMS teams activities, distributing tens of thousands of items every day.
Shlomi Ohana (65) from Or Yehuda, served in the IDF for 29 years as a senior logistics NCO, since 2004 he works at MDA’s logistics division. Shlomi took charge over the assembling of the MDA Anti-Viral protective kits. “Each shift, it is important to pass a key message to the soldiers and volunteers: our work must be conducted in perfect order”, said Shlomi, “it is important that they understand how important the work that they are doing is and that they are a critical part in the medical treatment and lifesaving chain in Israel.”
Or Cohen (16) from Beer Yaakov has been an MDA volunteer for more than a year, and is an emergency medical responder and instructor. “About a month ago, when school was cancelled, I’ve decided that I want to take advantage of the time and to assist MDA with the Coronavirus response,” said Or, “in every shift at MDA Logistics Center I take part in preparing hundreds of swab sampling kits or protective gear. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction knowing that I’m part of this so important activity, and that teenagers have a central place in everything that MDA is doing during this outbreak.”
Eran Ben Horin, Director of MDA’s Logistics Division: “MDA logistics Division supplies all the necessary equipment to MDA team members across the country, for the routine work and for the Coronavirus response, including the swab sampling activities and evacuation of COVID-19 patients. Dozens of employees, volunteers, soldiers and youth volunteers are working for long hours every day, 7 days a week, in order to prepare the necessary kits, transported by dozens of trucks, to the MDA stations and to the “Drive Thru” complexes across the country. We constantly see our commitment to do our outmost to protect the health of the Israeli public, without compromising the safety of MDA employees and volunteers.”