More UAE firms, groups reach out to India
Charitable organisations and private firms across the UAE are now stepping in to extend support to India as the Covid-19 crisis worsens back home.
Abu Dhabi-based Indian businessman Yusuff Ali MA has pledged INR 50 million towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in the Covid-hit south Indian state of Kerala. while Dubai-based Danube Home announced it would donate 10 per cent of profits from its sales in Dubai.
Recently, an Abu Dhabi-based Indian community group banded together to send 100 oxygen cylinders to Nagpur city in India’s Maharashtra, and Uae-based medical group Aster DM Healthcare has made a field hospital operational Kerala in five days to meet the growing demand for hospital beds.
Electronics retailer Jacky’s has also launched a direct-to-door oxygen concentrator delivery service so UAE residents can send the much-needed machines to their loved ones.
KM Noordeen, Chairman of the Nammude Arogyam Charitable Trust (NACT), Alpha Charitable Trust and Dubai-based businessman, told Khaleej Times that the Alpha Palliative Care in UAE had sent 180 oxygen cylinders and three ventilators free of cost to Nammude Arogyam Community Hospital (Nach) in Kerala on Friday. Then trust is run with support from UAE expatriates.
“Out of 180 oxygen cylinders, 80 are jumbo size, with a 40 to 50 litres capacity each. These cylinders will be used to enhance oxygen availability in the centralised oxygen supply. In Kerala, there is a great scarcity for the cylinders,” explained Noordeen.
NACH is a not-for-profit hospital setup by non-resident Indians in the UAE and is owned by NACT. Alpha Palliative Care also operates a vaccination centre (CVC) and offers a CVC on wheels option for bedridden patients. The hospital has now been wholly converted towards the care of Covid-19 patients. Noordeen said, “NACH has 10 ICUS, 40 high dependency beds and 60 ward beds. The hospital is all set to commence the services from today, subject to the final approval of the authorities.”
“The hospital has a bed strength of 60 in the wards, 40 in high dependency rooms and ten beds in the ICU supported by ventilators. The treatment is subsidised in such a way that the people at the bottom of the economic pyramid can avail the same quality treatment,” he explained.