​

Mohamed Kahir Bin Abu Bakar is a Projects Executive with ISS, a global leader in facility services and a long-time partner of SNEC’s Operations & Facility department. Attached to SNEC for the past 25 years, he is part of our army of support staff who have stepped up their duties and responsibilities to more effectively contain COVID-19.

In charge of housekeeping within SNEC, Kahir supervises a team of 25 cleaners. The team has been tirelessly managing the logistics ever since COVID-19 struck, helping to shift tables, remove chairs, and set up new triage areas. Having lived and worked through SARS, Kahir has used that experience to establish protocols with respect to the pandemic, such as increasing the cleaning frequency, and putting up additional sanitiser touch points around SNEC.

Although Kahir has made certain that all members of his team understand the importance of wearing PPE while going about their duties, he worries about them constantly. “Most of them are in their 50s and 60s — very vulnerable to COVID-19! That’s why I brief them daily now instead of once a week to ensure their safety,” he says. He is also aware of safety protocols, and will advise patients — especially the ‘aunties’ and ‘uncles’ — as and when the need arises. “I speak a bit of Hokkien, so that helps,” he quips.

Kahir is proud that he and his team are able to provide such an essential service in these difficult times. “What we do may be invisible and mundane, but we do it so that the Centre can be safe for patients and staff,” he stresses.