India’s devastating second wave of COVID-19 has led to shortages of medicine, ambulances, hospital beds and oxygen. That’s where volunteers like Vasanthakumar Chandran have come in delivering help where it’s needed most, reports Thomson Reuters Foundation News.
“We are going to homes, parking outside crowded hospital gates and giving patients the much-needed oxygen support for a few hours to stabilize them,” Chandran, who works with the local charity, Kadamai Education and Social Welfare Trust, told Reuters.
Chandran and team aren’t alone. Other local volunteer groups have come together to deliver groceries, medicine and more to people under quarantine. “We figured shortages will ease if we can help people stay indoors and stay safe,” Sathya Sankaran, the organizer of another local charity, Relief Riders, told Reuters.
And, global partners are stepping up to help, too. The Government of Canada recently made a contribution of $230 million to support the procurement and delivery of COVID-19 therapeutics for low- to middle-income countries. The funds will provide 1,450 oxygen concentrators to India as a part of UNICEF’s response to the situation.
At Children Believe, we’re working with our program partners in India to help fight the virus by providing food rations, feminine hygiene products, child-protection protocols and more to help families who have lost work during the lockdown.
You can help children and families in India today by donating at childrenbelieve.ca/india-covid19.