to enable deployment and monitoring support for a large part of 50,000 Oxygen Concentrators/Cylinders/BIPAPS across India
To strengthen India’s response to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and support healthcare infrastructure for the long-term, Rotary clubs throughout India have joined hands with ACT Grants, Swasth Alliance and Feeding India, supported by United Way of Bengaluru to enable deployment and monitoring support of a large part of 50,000 oxygen concentrators/cylinders/BIPAPs across the country.
Rotary is facilitating demand generation, tracking the utilization of the devices and enabling use of the devices at the healthcare facilities.
Mr Shekhar Mehta – Rotary International’s President-elect (2021-2022), said, “Rotary’s motto of ‘Service above Self’ has been driving our 1.65 lakh members in over 4000 clubs across the country to respond to their communities ever since pandemic hit last year. During the second wave this year, we continue to fight the pandemic with over 1000 Covid beds and free vaccination centers set up, along with assistance with procurement, cold chain storage and delivery of vaccines across various states. This partnership today will intensify our work with state governments to identify the best utility of the oxygen equipment in areas of greatest need across the country, so that we are best prepared for the third wave of coronavirus in case it comes our way.”
Mr Venkata Sudhakar, Director United Way Bengaluru added, “We are proud to bepart of this initiative and glad to have gotten an opportunity to collaborate with Rotary on this project. Just within a period of three weeks, we have been able to finalize this initiative and are now ready to serve and help people all over India.”
Pijush Sinha, Lead Partnerships Swasth said, “The procurement of equipment for this alliance started with 150 volunteers from around the world. And now with Rotary joining us with their 1 lakh 65 thousand volunteers, Swasth team will ensure that the equipment being delivered is put to good use.”
Aarti Mohan, co-founder, Sattva said, “These oxygen solutions are valuable assets during the pandemic response and for the healthcare system in the long-term. With this partnership, we hope to ensure maximum tracking, usage and support for critical equipment.”
The guest of honour, Rajya Sabha MP Mr Vivek Tankha said, “This indeed is one of the best coalitions–of good deeds and ideas aimed at helping people through these challenging times.
Reaching lakhs of people in 2-3 three months, this partnership indeed is an impressive initiative.”
Also present at the event were other partner members – Aarti Mohan Co-Founder Sattva, Dr Ajay Nair, CEO, Swasth Alliance, Aneesh Reddy and Harshal Kamdar, Volunteers, ACT Grants.
Last year, when India was battling the first wave of coronavirus, Rotary members across the 4000+ clubs all over India had raised Rs 105 crores and donated it to the PM Cares Fund for relief work. Furthermore, another Rs 150 crores were spent on the ground levels towards providing ventilators, face masks, food, sanitizers and PPE kits to the hospitals and people. The organization which had earlier played an instrumental role in polio eradication in India, has since donated beds, medical refrigerators, facilitated the transportation of millions of vaccine doses and helped in vaccinating people across India.
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About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. We connect 1.2 million members from more than 36,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
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