World Vision India starts COVID Second Wave Relief Response: Distributes Oxygen Concentrators and Other Medical Equipment to Health Care Facilities

New Delhi, 26 May 2021: As India grapples with the Second Wave of the COVID- 19 pandemic, World Vision India, a grass root humanitarian organization has been working relentlessly on the ground to ensure that the worst affected people get life-saving medical aid, hygiene kits and psychosocial support.

Madhav Bellamkonda, CEO & National Director, World Vision India said, “The Second Wave of COVID-19 has engulfed the country and it poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of all community members, especially children. There has been an alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in rural areas. World Vision India is working with the Government to strengthen health care systems in the rural areas. But much more needs to be done urgently to improve the capacity of rural hospitals to treat the affected people and save precious lives”.

As part of its COVID second wave response, World Vision India plan is supporting select hospitals and health care centres across all the program implementation communities (118 Locations) by providing 1350 oxygen concentrators and upgrading the health facilities, especially in rural areas, with 1000 cots and beds.  Over 170 oxygen concentrators and 950 pulse oximeters have been distributed to hospitals and health care centres in Rajasthan, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. Apart from this, World Vision India is also providing thermometers, PPE kits and other essential non-medical supplies immediately.

With the significant surge in the COVID cases across India, a sense of helplessness and the mental toll has affected children. Aligning their efforts with the ongoing relief work of the Central and State governments, World Vision India has started to strengthen its child centric COVID 19 response across all states. World Vision India staff and volunteers are closely monitoring the coronavirus situation in their program implementation areas and are responding to the changing needs, and keeping a close watch on the health and status of the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people. World Vision India is working with partners in the area of mental health to provide children with the necessary psychosocial support and care to help them deal with the uncertainties caused by the pandemic. Mugilarasan, 13 years from a village in Pudukottai District, Tamilnadu said, “I learned that all children should be familiar with the government's child helpline number "1098" for reporting any exploitation against children.”

Another 19 years old girl, Reshma from Palakkad, Kerala shared, “We don't have normal classes because of the corona pandemic. We spend all of our time inside the house. I am getting lot of awareness videos from World Vision India about COVID related messages, child marriage and other themes, which is extremely good for me and my parents to learn”.

World Vision India is also raising awareness on vaccination in the communities we serve and engaging with leaders of all faith communities across many states to raise awareness on COVID prevention and the importance of vaccination against COVID-19.

In the first phase of COVID-19 response, which began in March-2020, World Vision India had reached over 4.8 million people by distributing masks, gloves, PPE for medical practitioners, hygiene supplies, food packets, dry rations, educational supplies for children and livelihood support.