COINS Foundation’s long-term partners Habitat for Humanity GB have launched an appeal as the Covid-19 pandemic has plunged India’s healthcare system into crisis.
While the UK, the US, and other Western economies begin to make strides in vaccine roll outs, which are creating an increasing sense of optimism around the likely easing of the health and economic fallout of Covid 19, other countries are witnessing the worst possible surge in cases, highlighting a trend for inequity of access, and economic support systems in countries with significant income disparities. Nowhere is this more starkly highlighted in April of 2021, than in India. Over the weekend of the 24th and 25th of April, India set an unwelcome world record for new coronavirus infections, with 349,691 more cases in the 24 hours to Sunday morning, and another 2,767 lives lost.
A series of measures have been taken by both Central and State Governments to break the chain of transmission, including the isolation and quarantining of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19. As the number of cases increase, it is important to appropriately prepare the health systems and use the existing resources judicially. With the increase in numbers of active cases every day, there is an emerging need to support the expansion and equipping of medical facilities to treat a greater number of patients.
In partnership with local governments, Habitat for Humanity is working to deliver ‘Covid-19 Care Centres’ which will boost existing medical infrastructure and support vulnerable individuals with safe spaces to isolate or quarantine, keeping families safe and preventing transmission. So far Habitat have developed 16 Care Centres in 8 cities, with the capacity to serve approximately 1,975 people. COINS Foundation are working with them to build on this momentum by providing £30,000 to fund another Care Centre, which will be located in Alwar, Rajasthan.
The centres are designed to treat mild and moderate symptomatic and positive cases, helping to prevent the overloading of existing fragile healthcare infrastructure and to equip underused healthcare or government buildings and create a surge capacity of:
- Oxygen systems
- Drinking water
- Hygiene facilities
- Beds and mattresses
- Hygiene products
- Sufficient PPE for healthcare workers
Habitat also continues to work with local communities across India, to deliver their long-term housing and community infra structure projects, and to support local Covid responses through the delivery of emergency hygiene and family food kits.
For more information or to make a donation please visit their Crowdfunder page.
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