How Citizen Groups Are Helping COVID-19 Patients In Need Of Oxygen Supplies

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been in an unprecedented demand for medical oxygen across the country.

From hospitals to individuals who under home isolation after being tested positive for COVID-19 are in the need for oxygen support.

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This unprecedented demand has hit the poor hard, especially those in home isolation.

While big hospitals and wealthy patients may still be able to procure oxygen at high prices, many others can't, and that could turn out to the fatal.

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But across the country, in both big and small cities, private individuals and groups are trying their best to help those in need, at times even for free.

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In Bihar, the Bihar Foundation has set up an oxygen bank, to help supply oxygen for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bihar Foundation has 200 cylinders which they said will be distributed to the needy on demand.

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Gaurav Rai, aka Bihar's ¡®cylinder man¡¯ has also been running a mobile oxygen cylinders¡¯ bank to help COVID-19 patients.

The 45-year-old who realized the importance of oxygen supplies from his own experience with COVID-19 still runs the oxygen cylinders bank from his car in which he travels with cylinders and reaches the house the people in need of it.

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He has also helped in setting up oxygen banks in other parts of the state.

In Mysuru, a group of 11 individuals including two doctors has been providing oxygen to the poor at their doorsteps.

Since they began their service in August, they have helped more than 70 COVID-19 patients.

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In Mumbai, Shahnawaz Shaikh, a resident of Malad has been helping COVID-19 patients by arranging oxygen cylinders for them, spending his own money.

Shahnawaz and his friend Abbas Rizvi who run an NGO called Unity and Dignity Foundation have been providing oxygen cylinders free of cost for COVID-19 patients.

Unity and Dignity Foundation

According to Shaikh, it all began when a relative of Rizvi, who was six months pregnant died outside a hospital due to the lack of oxygen after she was turned away by six hospitals.