ActionAid Association & Give India donates Oxygen Concentrators to TN Government in the presence of Minister Sekar Babu, Udhayanidhi Stalin and MLA Dr.Ezhilan

• Saving Lives and Futures;
• Strengthening Medical Capacities in COVID Care in Public Hospitals and COVID Care Centres Across Tamil Nadu and India

Chennai, 17th June, 2021: Oxygen has emerged as a key need in the struggle for survival by serious COVID-19 patients. Today 120 oxygen concentrators were handed over to local administration in the presence of Mr P K Sekar Babu, Honourable Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr Udayanidhi Stalin, MLA of Chepauk Constituency, Dr N Ezhilan, MLA of Thousand Lights Constituency and Mr.Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Commissioner of Chennai Corporation.

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This is part of a distribution campaign supported by Give India and operationalised by ActionAid Association aimed at saving lives and futures by strengthening medical capacities across Tamil Nadu and India. Starting from 10h June, 1000 5-litre oxygen concentrators and 100 10 litre oxygen concentrators will be distributed to strengthen public health infrastructure in the state, including primary health centres, community health centres and public hospitals.

Across India 1640 10-litre oxygen concentrators and 4750 5-litre oxygen concentrators are being distributed across 164 districts in 13 states.

Give India had launched the India COVID Response Fund (ICRF) on 10 April, 2020, a fund that is better described as a giving collective that enables both individuals and organizations to respond together to COVID. In 2020, ICRF raised 220+ crores, impacting the lives of 56L+ people in India. Give India re-launched ICRF in March 2021, in response to the grave second wave of COVID to support gaps in healthcare and other critical needs.

Working with grassroots-based social organisations, foundations, corporates, hospitals and local administration, ActionAid Association has been striving to strengthen medical capacities and response to provide care to COVID patients across 20 states and 2 union territories.

ActionAid Association is running 70 helpdesks across more than 80 districts, some of these helplines were national, across 20 states and 2 union territories. Around 30,000 calls were received and we were able to help around 24000 people. The type of queries handled include: "Where were beds available?", "Where was oxygen available?", "Where were Ice medicines available?"... and even medical advice.

ActionAid Association is also spreading awareness of COVID appropriate behaviour and encouraging everybody to take the are working with district administrations to run vaccination camps so that nobody is left out of vaccination drive. We are campaigning on the slogan "No one is safe tillare This includes universal vaccination. We have been able to reach about 10 lakh people with our vaccine promotion programme and have run vaccine camps in Uttar Pradtar and, Odisha, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Bihar.

Sandeep Chachra, Executive Director, Aid Association says: "I am extremely grateful to community volunteers for helping ActionAid Association serve people in India in this dire situat also grateful to district administrations to give us this opportunity to work with are extremely grateful for the tremendous support we have received from India to strengthen medical capacities across the country."

"The COVID pandemic has exposed the need for responsive public services, including the need for a strong public health system that can be accessed by all and serves everybody. A positive out of this horrific tragedy, would be if we emerge with strong and functional public health infrastructure, built on community-based interventions, a wide network of primary health centres, community health centres and referral hospitals."

Esther Mariaselvam, Director, ActionAid Association and leading the team in Tamil Nadu says: ActionAid Association' Movie response in Tamil Nadu includes providing much needed authentic information, spreading awareness, distributing rations and relief kits and strengthening medical capacities across the state. I am grateful for GiveIndia for supporting the drive to distribute these oxygen concentrators. This will surely help the medical infrastructure in the state to deal with the current crisis, and be better prepared to face the Future.

For more information contact:

Joseph Mathai

mathai.joseph@actionaid.org

  +91-9810188022

Esther Mariaselvam 

esther.mariaselvam@actionaid.org

+91-9444951927

About Give India: Give India exists to alleviate poverty enabling the world to give. Established in 2000, we are the largest and the most trusted giving platform in India today. We enable individuals and organisations to raise and donate funds conveniently to any cause they care about, with offerings including crowdfunding, corporate giving, marketing and philanthropy consulting. Our community of 2M+ donors and 250+ partners have verified 2,000+ verified non-profits, serving 15M+ people across the country.

www.giveindia.org

About ActionAid Association:

ActionAid Association is an organisation working for social and ecological justice. ActionAid has been engaged with the most marginalised communities in India since 1972. In 2006, ActionAid Association was registered as an Indian organisation, governed by an independent General Assembly and a Governing Board. Together with supporters, communities, institutions and governments, we strive for equality, fraternity and liberty for all.

ActionAid Association works in 24 states and two union territories, with several partners and allied organisations. ActionAid Association is part of a global federation and a full affiliate of ActionAid International, that has presence in over 40 countries worldwide.

www.actionaidindia.org

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