As the country is trying to contain and restrain the spread of the virus, there are still any that still needs crucial and urgent help to overcome this virus that has struck the mercilessly. We have seen the response from any organisations in extending timely help to the neediest. We feature more of them today. We applaud their compassion and empathy.
Rapid Rural COVID Response Organisations Converge to Raise Funds for Tribal Families in Karnataka and Odisha
COVID Livelihood Coalition (CoLive), a consortium of grass-root level COVID response collectives, has come together to protect and sustain India’s most vulnerable communities linking health and livelihoods at a local scale. With a maiden endeavour, the survival kit targets nearly 2,00,000 tribal families in 5000 villages in Karnataka and Orissa. With a reasonable cost of Rs 1,857, the kit contains a month’s supply for a family of five, including ration items of rice, dal, flour, oil, salt, and condiments. Additionally, masks, face shields, and personal hygiene kits (sanitary pads, sanitiser) for women and adolescent girls will also be provided.
Rural India is witnessing a distressing COVID 2.0 surge; especially the tribal-dominated pockets are disproportionately affected due to (a) the non-availability of healthcare services (lives), (b) steady fall in job opportunities and income levels (livelihoods) coupled with (c) poor connectivity and challenging geographical terrain. The disturbing situation of indigenous tribes and forest dwellers such as the Kui tribes, Bondas and Didayi tribes of Malkangiri district, Paudi Bhuyian of Angul district, Orissa, and the Soligas of Karnataka without access to food availability and inadequacy of primary healthcare is a story of distress and fear with their lives and livelihood at risk. Communities, especially the women breadwinners who make products and directly sell them in the market, are majorly impacted. It is also a significant challenge to step out and purchase a mask or even secure access to afford a decent meal.
In these challenging times, a multi-sectoral engagement of organisations is the need of the hour to catalyse the evolution and activation of a coordinated emergency response system. Convened by Industree Foundation, the coalition is a framework of dedicated and dynamic front-line organisation within India, which ensures collaborating on immediate emergency response areas to empathetically impact the lives of those affected and stand in hope in times of despair. Our collective solidarity, along with your contribution, can help us feed and protect these marginalised and underserved communities. The kits are critical to make rural communities feel further safe and put their worries at ease on the most vital aspect to survival – food. In addition, the safety kit will aid in curbing the transmission of the virus in the villages and resume livelihood activities in parallel without fear by following COVID appropriate social behaviour. Building a robust collaborative engagement at the grassroots level with all humanitarian actors, we are layering our stellar work with resilience at its core.
Lupin Donates Oxygen Generation Plants to Aid COVID-19 Relief Efforts
Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) through its CSR arm, the Lupin Foundation, is donating five oxygen generation plants to assist Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in their ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In preparation of ensuring India has a solid response for a potential third COVID wave, these five oxygen plants with a total capacity of 3840 cubic meters of oxygen per day have been donated to these States. The respective State Governments will oversee the distribution of the oxygen produced at these plants to government hospitals and COVID Care Centres. The company is in discussions with other States to assist them in their fight against the pandemic through similar initiatives.
Nippon Paint Extends Support to the Painter Community
As the second wave continues to affect the income of the daily wage earners such as painters, Nippon Paint (India) Private Limited (Decorative Division), Asia’s leading paint manufacturer extends support to the painter community.
Nippon Paint has resumed its outreach efforts to painters who have been affected due to a lack of employment opportunities. In the first phase, groceries were distributed to painters in their respective localities in Chennai and Coimbatore. So far, it has provided grocery supplies to 1500+ painter families by conducting relief camps in more than 25+ localities across these two cities.
Nippon Paint ensured that the painters received the support without having to travel long distances to avail it. Some of the areas covered in Chennai include Thuraipakkam, Perungalathur, Selaiyur, Pammal, Adambakkam, Choolaimedu, Santhome, MGR Nagar, Kolathur, Pattabiram, Thiruvotriyur, Redhills, Ambattur, Kilpauk, Thondiarpet and Porur. In Coimbatore, the areas earmarked for grocery distribution include Goundampalayam, Kuniyamuthur, Neelambur/Thennampalayam, Podanur, Peelamedu, R S Puram, Saravanampatti, Selvapuram and Sulur.
During the first wave, Nippon Paint supported over 2500+ painter families amidst the series of lockdowns.
Talking about the outreach, S Mahesh Anand, President – Nippon Paint (India) Private Limited (Decorative Division) commented, “Due to the lockdown triggered by the second wave, the livelihood of painters and other daily wage earners have been affected. For us, painters are the most vulnerable stakeholders now, and we hope to bring them some respite during these difficult times through this initiative of providing grocery supplies.”
Healthcare by Heartfulness – A Free-of-Charge COVID Medical Consultation App Launched
Coinciding with Global Wellness Day (celebrated on second Saturday of June every year), Heartfulness Group of Organisations launched, “Healthcare by Heartfulness”, a COVID Care app to provide COVID consultation and telemedicine support along with its helpline, “Voice that Cares”, to offer medical consultation services to those who need it during these stressful times. The free-of-charge service is managed by 1500+ Heartfulness certified trainers and medical professionals from the Heartfulness Institute. Healthcare by Heartfulness was launched by Suchitra Ella, Joint Managing Director Bharat Biotech International, and Heartfulness Guide, Kamlesh Patel (Daaji).
During these trying circumstances, telemedicine support will provide timely assistance, the right clinical consultation, and alleviate the challenges faced by the individuals seeking help. Easy access to a virtual doctor’s appointment will also reduce the burden on the existing healthcare systems.
The Healthcare by Heartfulness app provides free COVID patient consultation anywhere, 24×7, 365 days a year. Once a patient makes a request on the app for a doctor consultation, the patient can track their waiting time for services through real-time alerts. The patient receives a call-back from the healthcare staff when it is their turn and can take consultation remotely. The app also allows patients to request assistance in their preferred language when they are not comfortable with English. Through the app’s messaging system, the patient can message the healthcare staff and also view the details of their prescription. During its first phase, the app provides consultations with a panel of 1000+ experts of international repute.
Launching the app, Suchitra Ella, Joint Managing Director Bharat Biotech International, said, “I am honoured and humbled to be a part of this initiative. I commend the Heartfulness Institute and the volunteers who have made this initiative possible. I wish the app is successful in decoding the right medical information for people, which is extremely important in today’s times. This initiative will go a long way in helping and supporting every family that uses the app.”
Speaking about the initiuative, Kamlesh D Patel, Global Guide of Heartfulness, said, “At Heartfulness, we always strive to strengthen the community. Today, humanity needs our support in terms of resources and medical assistance. I am grateful to all Heartfulness volunteers and medical professionals that are making this initiative successful. Together, we hope to make a positive impact during these difficult times.”
The app will soon allow patients to opt for notifications via Telegram to save costs, make consultation requests for multiple specialties, request for beds, and oxygen supply. Time slots and availability of specialist doctors will be published on the app for patients to book appointments. The app will also include COVID resources such as testing locations, covid screening tools, govt. updates and news related to COVID-19.
Voice that Cares launched last year continues to assist people in multiple cities with the service being available in respective regional languages, including English, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, and Marathi. Apart from the app, citizens can also call 1800-121-3492 to seek COVID consultation or any other medical advice.
Rajasthan Royals Owner Leads COVID-19 Fundraiser for South Asia through a Unique Cycling Programme
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has kick-started this year’s ‘Palaces on Wheels’ cycling event, a fundraising initiative by the British Asian Trust. Rajasthan Royals’ lead owner and the British Asian Trust Chairman, Manoj Badale is also part of this unique cycling event called to raise funds for COVID relief across South Asia. The event sees over 30 cyclists out of Highgrove endure a unique 420km/250-mile route that will see them visit some of the UK’s most iconic royal households and palaces over four days of cycling.
The aim of the event was largely to raise funds for COVID-related initiatives led by Manoj Badale, Chair of the British Asian Trust, and their work in South Asia, aimed towards helping out millions of people who’ve suffered from the effects of the pandemic.
Manoj, who has led on several initiatives in the region through the British Asian Trust has also worked extensively through his team, Rajasthan Royals, and has played a key role in working towards a lot of socio-economic issues in the state. Earlier in April, Rajasthan Royals had also announced a contribution of INR 7.5 Crores (over $1mn) towards COVID Relief to help with immediate support to people in India impacted by the surge of the COVID-19 virus.
Speaking at the event was Manoj Badale, Lead owner of Rajasthan Royals and Chairman of the British Asian Trust, “We’ve all got our responsibility to do our bit for the people of South Asia that are suffering at the hands of a devastating pandemic, especially the ones that are disadvantaged. It’s an initiative that is looking pan-region and to harness complete effort towards regenerating a certain section of the population that needs help on various fronts. Obviously, I have a special connection in the region through Rajasthan Royals and it’s really special to be able to have a medium and a framework in sport via which we can facilitate an initiative to have a greater reach.”
The team is being led by Rohit Chadha, a supporter of the British Asian Trust, and Founder of the event. He said: “On behalf of all the riders, donors, sponsors, we are in the privileged position of making life-defining changes for those in real need, which truly is a humbling honour. Since 2016, with the incredible support and patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales, we have raised in excess of £1 million to date but the work is never done. This month we hope to add significantly to that total with our latest ride – Palaces on Wheels – in the UK for the first time.”
INDIAdonates Raises Over a Crore to Support Seven Rural Hospitals
COVID-19 came as a shock to the Indian economy. A phase that the country was not prepared for in the beginning and with the unexpected second wave, things blew out of proportion. Shortages were all over the news. Previously, COVID-19 was considered an urban phenomenon, and most rural hospitals were caught off-guard, because of the sudden spike for oxygen needs and other COVID-19 specific equipment, but this was not for long.
Today, INDIAdonates is ahead of its game with the association and support of its partner NGOs. Founders of INDIAdonates, Dr Sanjay Patra and Sandeep Sharma felt the need to expedite processes and ensure that the country was being supported in every way within its capacity.
INDIAdonates started its intervention with 26 rural hospitals in the last week of April 2021. They did thorough research on the needs of hospitals, the caseloads, social profiling of the districts to understand the socio-economic condition of the people in and around. So far INDIAdonates has raised Rs 1 Crore and has fully supported four hospitals and partially supported three rural hospitals. Simultaneously, they also were able to provide 10 oxygen concentrators to many other hospitals. Besides, they are also running a food relief campaign in 45 towns and villages across 16 States. Through this campaign, they would be helping 5000 individuals in getting immediate dry ration kits and some hygiene products.
They urge everyone to help them raise more funds so that they can stretch their arms even wider. Speaking about the overall initiative Founders of INDIAdonates, Dr. Sanjay Patra and Sandeep Sharma shares, “It is overwhelming to see so many donors coming forward to support rural hospitals not just from India, but also from overseas. When we started our COVID-19 response work in mid-April, we were determined to anchor all our energies in augmenting the rural healthcare infrastructure, because rural India lacks the machinery to both deal and recuperate from a national health crisis, and it could prove lethal in more than one way. Even if cases plateau, we strongly intend to work with rural hospitals to build resilient health infrastructure which can withstand any number of COVID-19 wave.”
Aavishkar Centre Launches Care for Healthcare COVID Warriors – A Free Helpline Service to Support Mental Health of Healthcare COVID Workers
Aavishkar Centre for Self-Enrichment has launched a free helpline for supporting doctors, nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and other healthcare workers on COVID duties to support them with any emotional distress they might be experiencing. The last 16 months of the pandemic have been tough for the frontline healthcare workers; and the second wave pushed the limits of the healthcare infrastructure, creating additional emotional distress for these COVID Warriors.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Nirmala Rao, Director, Aavishkar Center said, “Watching the news helplessly over the past year, I was feeling bad about the conditions under which healthcare workers are functioning, there was a growing urgency to do something to help. Focusing on my own skill sets and what I have to offer, I considered the idea of what could be done. Since counselling is my forte, and knowing many others would also wish to help out, I floated this idea of starting a helpline.”
The helpline’s objective is to provide a platform for healthcare COVID Warriors to vent out, share their experiences, worries and frustration; and gain support through the patient and caring ears lent by the volunteers. Through this helpline, the callers will receive support, feeling understood, receiving an empathetic and non-judgmental space, helping them gain humane contact in these times of isolation.
The initiative is supported by MediaMedic Communications – a healthcare communications agency. Dinesh Chindarkar, Co-founder at MediaMedic Communications said, “When Dr. Nirmala Rao sounded this idea, my team and I wanted to support this wholeheartedly. We gave the technical support for the Call Centre set-up, and our digital team is reaching a larger healthcare audience segment and effectively using social media to propagate the message across the country.”
The contact number for this free helpline is 9172284386 and it operates between 4 pm and 7 pm from Monday to Saturday. Considering the multiplicity of languages, the helpline is currently being offered in 10 languages (Hindi, Marathi, English, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Bengali). Supported by a team of around 80 volunteers trained by Dr. Nirmala Rao herself, ‘Care for COVID Warriors’ seeks to offer selfless service to the frontline workers in these tough times.
Dr Nirmala Rao, the brain behind this initiative is looking to reach a larger audience. As more people become aware of this initiative and step up to volunteer, the idea is to scale up this service as per the needs of callers – by increasing the number of hours, number of lines, etc.
ICICI Securities and IIT Kanpur Join Hands to Facilitate Rapid Delivery of Medical Oxygen
The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur has raised funding from ICICI Securities, one of India’s leading financial services companies, for Mission Bharat O2(MBO2), to support domestic manufacturing of oxygen concentrators on scale. With this project, SIIC IIT Kanpur aims to make the Indian healthcare manufacturing ecosystem self-reliant.
Mission Bharat O2 is a step towards the larger vision of SIIC to nurture a self-sustainable healthcare system in India. The project, led by Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Professor In-charge, Innovation & Incubation, IIT Kanpur, Srikant Sastri, Director, FIRST-IITK and Chairman, I3G Advisory Network, and Rahul Patel, Head of Strategic Initiatives, SIICIIT Kanpur, will support local manufacturers to develop oxygen concentrators. Through a three-pronged approach – Rapid Product Development, Centralized Sourcing and Decentralized Manufacturing – the project aims to deliver 20,000 indigenous yet high-quality oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants for India’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through MBO2, SIIC aims to create decentralised manufacturing pockets where Indian manufacturers will develop oxygen concentrators on a rapid scale.
ICICI Securities has nurtured a legacy of contributing towards sustainable development initiatives across India. Its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts show a deep commitment towards nation-building through a variety of initiatives. To help the county fight the pandemic, ICICI Securities in 2020, had joined hands with IIT Kanpur for developing affordable, indigenous ventilators to save lives.
The concentrator cost is at least 40 per cent lower than comparable imported products. SIIChas already selected eight manufacturing partners from 70+ participants who competed to manufacture this indigenous oxygen plant and oxygen concentrators. Product testing has been completed and by June 20, 2021, a daily run rate of 100 units per manufacturer per day is expected to be achieved.
Commenting on SIIC’s vocal for local vision, Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay says, “The SIIC team at IIT Kanpur aims to turn the country into a manufacturing hub by supporting cutting-edge research and development. Our incubated companies have contributed immensely since COVID-19 struck India. We want to go a step further to build a nexus of local manufacturers who will put India on the map of the global manufacturing hubs. The support from ICICI Securities is a much-needed contribution in that direction.”
As a coveted funding partner, ICICI Securities’ generous support will pivot SIIC’s efforts towards efficient execution of the Mission Bharat O2.
“Providing timely and affordable healthcare facilities is a pressing need. ICICI Securities is honoured to further extend our CSR partnership with IIT Kanpur this year too for this crucial project which would help all players in the healthcare ecosystem – from the patients to manufacturers by providing affordable yet high quality, indigenous oxygen concentrators. We are inspired by their vision to make India a self-reliant nation in life-saving medical equipment by bringing together various players for a larger social cause,” said Vijay Chandok, MD & CEO, ICICI Securities.
Godrej Professional’s Suraksha Salon 2.0 Priority Vaccination for 10,000 Hairstylists, Beauticians, and Salon Staff
Godrej Professional, a professional brand with products across hair colour, care, styling, and keratin from Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), announced Suraksha Salon 2.0, an industry-first initiative focussing on the health, wellness and protection of the salon community. In its first edition introduced in 2020, Suraksha Salon focussed on helping the salon community with necessary hygiene solutions, education on safety and hygiene for salon infrastructure and services, and back-to-business support.
Through Suraksha Salon 2.0, Godrej Professional will be providing priority vaccination to 10,000 hairstylists, beauticians, and salon staff across India. They need to register on www.cowin.gov.in and follow the Godrej Professional Instagram handle to get updates about the drive-in their respective cities. The Instagram handle shares city-specific links for the drives, to sign up. Post sharing details, the team at Godrej Professional will get in touch in person to verify and share the vaccination slots. Suraksha Salon 2.0 will provide all the necessary guidance, resources, and updates to salon owners to ensure the safety and well-being of their staff and customers. This free-of-cost vaccination drive will be conducted by Godrej Professional across cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Vadodara, Chandigarh, and Ludhiana. This initiative will be further expanded to more cities.
Speaking about the initiative, Sunil Kataria CEO – India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), said, “Godrej Professional is committed to empower and uplift the Indian salon industry. After a strong outreach of Suraksha Salon last year, the second edition encourages the salon community to get vaccinated and provide them the necessary mental support. COVID-19 has already heavily impacted the salon industry leading to a complete halt of operations for over five months during the first wave of the pandemic. The second ongoing wave made it more difficult for salons as this also led to a complete shutdown. Hairstylists, beauticians, and salon staff work in close proximity with their clients and it becomes critical for this workforce to be vaccinated at the earliest. Vaccination will not only make sure they are safe but are also empowered to return to their work as soon as salons are opening up.”
Appreciating the initiative, Vikram Bhatt, Founder, Enrich Salon, said, “Firstly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for Godrej Professional to come up with such a great initiative for the hair & beauty industry – It will go a long way. Registration was done flawlessly and slots were allocated with personal messages to individuals. On the day of vaccination, everything was well organised. Right from the senior members in the team to the one volunteering at the venue, all were hands-on and helping every possible way. Would like to make a special mention to the backend team who were proactive and ensuring we utilise all the slots effectively.”
“Godrej Professional Suraksha Salon Program is a great initiative supporting the salon industry during these testing times. Along with other activities, priority vaccination is a remarkable step taken as part of the program. This is very important as salons are opening up again and the salon professionals working in them will need protection against the virus. This also ensures customers who visit the salon are safe as well,” added S Arvind Kumar, VP – Operations (AP, Orissa, and Telangana), Naturals Salon & Spa.
Godrej Professional has also partnered with Fortis Hospitals Mumbai for a dedicated helpline – 6366528566, which will provide free guidance for all coronavirus-related queries. Additionally, live sessions will be conducted by Dr Manjeet Singh Arora, Consultant-General Medicine & Community Health Expert, Fortis Hospital, Mulund; Dr Rajesh Parikh, Neuropsychiatrist and the author of the first book on vaccine ‘The Vaccine Book’, and Director of Medical Research, Jaslok Hospital, on myth-busting guide to vaccination and other COVID-19 related issues to spread awareness and curb misinformation.
Godrej Professional also tied up with Mindhouse – who are building the World’s largest wellness platform, to conduct mental wellness programme for the salon professionals.
NABFOUNDATION Launches Short Film to Promote Vaccination in Rural India
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit the country, particularly impacting rural India. Apart from the issues such as the lack of supplies, one major development observed across rural India has been the bogey of fears, myths, and ill-conceived notions relating to COVID vaccination. While the government continues to make significant strides on the supplies front, the sheer lack of knowledge and understanding about vaccination has emerged as a major hurdle in combating the virus.
A plethora of media articles has corroborated this divide through statistical evidence. As of May 14, 2021, despite 60 per cent of the cases arising from rural India, only 15 per cent of the rural inhabitants had received the first shot of the vaccine, in contrast to 30 per cent of the urban inhabitants. Moreover, in May 2021, 30.3 doses of the vaccine were administered per 100 persons in urban areas as opposed to 12.7 in rural areas.
As a response to this widening gap of confusion, NABARD through its subsidiary, NABFOUNDATION, conducted quick field-level research to gain insights into the major fears and questions among rural Indians. A short film with a specific focus on social media was made thereafter addressing these very fears and questions.
On the occasion of the release of the video, Dr. G R Chintala, Chairman, stated, “The confusion and anxiety around vaccination in rural India have emerged as a major hurdle in our fight against this virus. This short video is a dedicated effort to bolster the efforts of the Government of India in battling the COVID virus. It addresses major concerns voiced in rural India against vaccination. We believe that it must gain traction on all platforms across the country so as to ensure that every rural Indian is made aware of the benefits of getting vaccinated. We must consider this as our social responsibility and spread awareness through this film to make vaccination a reality for rural India.”
A coordinated effort is being made through the national level network of NABARD offices and district level managers to ensure that the message reaches the last village in the country. State Government departments, rural financial institutions, civil society organisations, FPOs, and SHGs are being approached as outreach points to ensure the same.
Link to the video: https://youtu.be/zwhrzCSywCQ
Ramagya Foundation Makes Immense Contribution to Augment Medical Infrastructure to Combat the Pandemic
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chairman, Ramagya Group, launches an all-out initiative to provide oxygen concentrators and cylinders, medical equipment and ventilators as well as free ambulance services for the needy with the aim to provide timely medical assistance to people
As the country faces the second devastating wave of COVID-19, Ramagya Foundation has dedicated itself to provide critical medical support to those battling with the disease across Noida, Greater Noida in the Delhi-NCR region. It has associated with the local administration to carry out this welfare initiative.
Ramagya Foundation has been providing oxygen concentrators and cylinders, oximeters, ventilators, nebulizers, free ambulance services, and other medical equipment to patients suffering from COVID-19 disease. It also provides medicines to hospitals in the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida.
Speaking on this initiative, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chairman, Ramagya Group said, “Even though the second wave of the pandemic has turned out to be more severe, it can be won over by providing adequate medical infrastructure to hospitals and timely medical support to patients. Towards this purpose, the Foundation has undertaken this initiative to fulfill the critical requirements of oxygen concentrators, cylinders, and other medical equipment to help support the fight against this life-threatening disease. We aim to continue this initiative and further step up our efforts in this direction.”
Recently, Ramagya Foundation, under the aegis of “Purusharth Charitable Society”, had launched an inspiring CSR initiative ‘Happy Fridge’ aimed at providing sumptuous food to homeless and needy people. In the progressive path of social development, it is contributing through several attractive programs, including UMEED, UNNATI, SANGANAK, ARADHYA, URJA, and PANKH focusing on four core areas including education, skilling, physical and mental health of underprivileged children.
The Ramagya Foundation aims to contribute towards creating an educated and developed society by nurturing talent and sculpting each individual soul by imparting values. More than 1, 05,000 lives have been impacted through these programmes.
Arzooo Rolls Out Vaccination Drive for Electronics Shop Owners
Globally, analysts have been indicating the third wave of COVID-19 to be more disastrous than the second one and are pushing for breaking the chain. To support the Indian economy and to encourage people to get vaccination across India Arzooo, India’s leading B2B retail-tech startup has announced a large scale vaccination drive for every retail shop owner in consumer durables in India with an incentive plan where it pays them for every vaccination done
A shop owner has to get vaccinated and post-vaccination, they have to upload their vaccination certificate on the Arzooo app. An instant refund of Rs 400 will be credited to them.
There are over 50,000 retail shops for consumer durables and Arzooo’s vaccination drive is open for 100 per cent of them including those who are not on the Arzooo platform. This promotion drive aims to create awareness as well as encourage people to get their vaccinations.
“The retail community has been the most vulnerable ever since the spread of virus began as they deal with numerous visitors every day which makes them most exposed to the COVID-19 danger. More so with consumer electronics retailers as there is a lot of interaction with every shopper. With this drive, we aim to safeguard our business partners and the electronics industry in general by doing our bit for them in these tough times,” said Khushnud Khan, Co-founder and CEO, Arzooo.
Earlier in May, Arzooo also launched a slot finding feature on their website where one can check for the vaccine availability as per his/her pin code or district. The new feature also helps the users in finding nearby vaccination centers and can also share notifications when the vaccine slots are available.
Before the drive for the retailer community, Arzooo has also initiated a free vaccine drive for all of its employees. Not only this, the company took the decision to absorb 100 per cent cost of testing and treatment for all its employees including white and blue-collar workers.
Shadowfax to Enable Delivery of Oxygen Concentrators to 100 Cities in India
Shadowfax, one of India’s largest crowd-sourced logistics platforms, has associated with GiveIndia, and Ola, to enable the delivery of oxygen concentrators in 100 cities across India. O2ForIndia, an initiative to deliver oxygen concentrators to the doorstep to those in need via the Ola app, will be expanded to over 100 cities including Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Pune, Nagpur, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Coimbatore, and Puducherry among others, in the coming weeks.
