COVID-19 Relief Response: Cumulative Impact

• 

  1,869,341

  Beneficiaries Served

• 

  377,872

  Health Personnel Benefited

• 

  31

  States & Union Territories

• 

  2,682

  Portable Hospital Beds

• 

  53

  Oxygen Plants

• 

  5,414

  Oxygen Concentrators

• 

  127,628

  Total Equipment

• 

  30,720

  Single-use
  Ventilators

• 

  50

  Cold Storage Units

• 

  550

  Oxygen Cylinders

• 

  31,023

  Pulse Oximeters

• 

  228,585

  PPE Kits

WAVE 1: COVID - 19 Relief Efforts

Since the first COVID-19 case was reported in India on 30th January 2020, the country has been ravaged by two waves of the pandemic, resulting in nearly 44 million cases and more than 516,479 deaths (Source: John Hopkins University).

The first wave was mostly confined to large cities and urban geographies and characterized by nation-wide lockdowns, exodus of migrant workers and shortages of medical equipment.

During the first wave of the COVID-19, with unprecedented lockdowns across the country, AIF was one of the first organizations to respond and provide immediate support to the most vulnerable communities in India.

AIF distributed critical life-saving medical equipment, PPE kits for frontline healthcare workers, hygiene kits for ASHAs and Anganwdi workers (Community Health Workers), and ration kits for the needy and elderly, including migrants and those who lost their livelihoods due to the national lockdown.

Details about AIF’s work in COVID-19 Phase 1 can be found here:

WAVE 2: Strategic Response & Approach

The second wave in April 2021 was severe and crippled the public health system with extreme shortage of medical equipment and lack of hospital beds, resulting in unprecedented number of deaths and morbidities. In April and May 2021, hospitals were running over and above their capacity and grappling with severe infrastructure shortages. The pandemic spread to smaller towns and rural areas characterized with poor and substandard medical infrastructure along with few trained healthcare providers. The logistics of transporting medical supplies from their production centers to hospitals was challenging and delays resulted in patients on ventilators and emergency oxygen succumbing to the virus.

With uneven surges across the country there emerged a great need and consensus for hospitals to be equipped with sufficient supplies to meet the current crises. While the second wave of COVID-19 had posed challenges to the WAVE 2: Strategic Response & Approach medical infrastructure of the country, it gave AIF the chance to employ its learning from the first phase and establish sustained resources to cater to the needs that may arise in the future. AIF worked closely with state governments to identify locations and hospitals that were in great need of the lifesaving medical equipment, especially those related to oxygen. The situation warranted a targeted and coordinated approach, in conjunction with government efforts at the state and district levels, to save maximum lives in places of highest need.

As part of sustained long-term solutions, PSA Oxygen Plants have been installed within the hospital premises and bed capacity has been increased by installing portable healthcare units equipped with state of the art medical equipment such as ventilators, pulse oximeters, flow-meters, PPE kits, amongst others, as an investment in preparedness for any resurgence in the future.

Photo source: Associated Press

AIF worked closely with state governments to identify locations and hospitals that were in great need of the lifesaving medical equipment, especially those related to oxygen. The situation warranted a targeted and coordinated approach, in conjunction with government efforts at the state and district levels, to save maximum lives in places of highest need. As part of sustained long-term solutions, PSA Oxygen Plants have been installed within the hospital premises and bed capacity has been increased by installing portable healthcare units equipped with state of the art medical equipment such a ventilators, pulse oximeters, flow-meters, PPE kits, amongst others, as an investment in preparedness for any resurgence in the future.

AIF’S 3-Stage Relief Strategy

AIF’S - Response Approach

WAVE 2: Response Timeline

WAVE 2: AIF Relief Efforts