Houston, TX (June 21, 2021): Within eight weeks of starting its ‘Help India Defeat COVID-19’ campaign, Sewa International has distributed over 5,996 oxygen concentrators and 177 ventilators to 566 hospitals and COVID-19 Care Centers across India, covering 26 of 28 Indian states.
Sewa International, India has received over 7,900 oxygen concentrators so far from Sewa units around the globe and 6,850 of them from USA. Sewa International USA has procured and shipped over 10,000 oxygen concentrators to India so far and some of them are still in transit. As COVID-19 situation is improving in India, Sewa is keeping some concentrators in reserve for future use.
Overcoming numerous challenges, starting from transporting odd sized pallets, housing oxygen concentrators from the airport to the warehouse to supplying lifesaving equipment to hard-to-reach corners of India, volunteers from Sewa and its partner organizations have successfully tackled a huge logistical challenge in the middle of a raging pandemic.
Sleeping less than optimal hours a day and braving the pandemic while many of the Sewa volunteers tested positive with the virus, the team arranged 60+ trucks for transporting the essential medical equipment, have already distributed medicine and food kits to 1,25,000+ households, and juggled between priorities while working under constant pressure to pick the right hospitals and NGOs from among a long list.
Working with a well-tested hub-and-spokes model, Sewa volunteers worked from the primary hub in New Delhi, where they received the supplies sent from the US and other countries. They later transported the oxygen concentrators and other supplies to 44 secondary hubs in the country, and then to nearby 410+ locations by trucks and couriers, supported by partner NGOs.
Kumar Subham, Chief Operating Officer, Sewa International, India is coordinating the distribution of oxygen concentrators. He said that over 1,000 Sewa volunteers and more than 10,000 volunteers from Sewa’s partner organizations are involved in the distribution: “Yes, the work has been demanding and the team has been working round the clock. But it is not tiring at all. It’s like working for our families. In this case it is the extended family, the whole of India, as we say, Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam, so none of us mind the hours we put in” he said.
Sewa distributed equipment in seven phases and prioritized their delivery based on the severity of cases and population density. Maharashtra which reported the highest number of cases in India, got 725 concentrators. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu received 485, 400, 301, 300, 300 and 235 concentrators respectively and occupied the top seven spots.
“In the last 50+ days, we doubled our partnerships in India to 240+ partners, and Indian Diaspora from 35+ countries have supported us. So much was possible due to the collective strength of Global Indians and the non-profit ecosystem in India. Thanks to the spirit of Sewa in the Indian ethos”.,” Shyam Parande, the Global Coordinator of Sewa International said.
“In Sewa, we say, Together We Server Better. All the work that has been done in the past two months by Sewa International teams in the USA, in India, and many other countries across the world amply reflect the essence of this statement. We are glad that we have been able to serve India in its direst hour of need,” said Arun Kankani, Sewa International’s President.
About Sewa International
Sewa International (www.sewausa.org) is a 501 (c)(3) Hindu faith-based charitable nonprofit that works in the areas of disaster recovery, education, and development. Sewa has 43 Chapters across the USA and serves regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.
