The City of Wolverhampton club has used the Rotary network to give desperately needed aid to India.
The Covid 19 crisis in India is a major catastrophe. By May 28th, there have been 27.7 million recorded cases with 323,000 deaths. In the State of Kerala alone, the figures are 2.7 million cases with 8,257 deaths. The true figures are probably even higher as many cases go unrecorded.
Our club decided it would prefer to take direct, rapid action rather than simply make a donation to one of the many commendable relief funds that have been set up.
Our network of well known, directly contactable Rotarians includes Past District Governor Scaria Jose of the Rotary club of Changanacherry, Kerala, who serves as the Rotary Jaipur Limb (RJL) Ambassador to India and is well known to our member, Richard Green, the RJL Trustee and Director for India. Scaria advised that there is a desperate need for oxygen concentrators – machines designed to provide relief to patients with severe breathing difficulties associated with Covid. By contacting fellow Rotarian Binoop Paul, Scaria established that a concentrator, manufactured in China, could be purchased for £728. The funds were rapidly despatched to the supplier, Binoop’s employers, N2 Healthcare in Cochin.
The unit arrived in Mumbai on May the 26th and was transported across country to Cochin and delivered to Scaria Jose’s house on May 27th.
It was handed over to the government public hospital in Changanacherry on May the 28th, where it was accepted by the hospital superintendent, Doctor Ajith, in the presence of the local member of the State Legislative Assembly, Mr. Job Michael and other Rotarians from the Changanacherry club including President Saju.
Job Michael expressed his heartfelt thanks to all the Rotarians involved in extending help to the needy patients during what he described as the current calamity.
Now, Binoop has been able to source 5 BiPap (Bilevel positive airway pressure) machines and a number of other clubs have sent funds to purchase these. Delivery is expected during the first week of June.
PDG Richard Green