Amid oxygen shortage, NGOs step in to help residents

Gurgaon: With the city’s healthcare system overwhelmed and many hospitals facing an acute shortage of oxygen, changemakers are helping desperate residents affected by Covid-19. One of them is Hemkunt Foundation, an NGO in Sector 42, which is helping people get oxygen cylinders for a refundable deposit of Rs 10,000. The NGO claims to be getting over 12,000 distress calls on a daily basis.
Hemkunt has launched two separate projects — drive through and home delivery. For the drive through service run from a makeshift arrangement, they check the Covid report and oxygen status of patients. For home delivery, they ask for photos of a patient, their Covid report, Aadhaar card, and a recent picture of oxygen levels. To avoid any stocking of cylinders, they provide only one cylinder per patient.
The charitable work of the NGO — which has already worked in various disaster management projects — is supported by crowdfunding and donations.
“We started the service in February and at that time we were getting around 100 calls a day. In the past few weeks, the demand has shot up exponentially. We get about 12,000 calls every day. All plead for oxygen supply. We are able to cater to only 30% to 40% of the demand at the moment,” said Harteerath Singh, community development director at Hemkunt Foundation.
The NGO has tied with a host of dealers and wholesalers in different states and import oxygen cylinders on a daily basis. “Our aim is to help people battle out the crucial couple of hours spent searching for hospital beds. We also help small nursing homes but don’t provide cylinders to big hospitals because they have their own supply chain,” Singh added.
Another organisation, Khalsa Aid India, has also come forward to provide oxygen concentrators for free to Covid-19 patients in NCR. Launched on Friday evening, the organisation is already flooded with requests. To cater to the rising demand, they have released a WhatsApp helpline number — 9115609005.
“The moment you click on this number, you’ll get a Google form. It will ask you about your details like on which date you got Covid positive, complete name and address, doctor’s prescription, and picture of oximeter reading. Preference is given to those with low oxygen levels and in critical condition,” said an office-bearer.
Similarly, a gas plant in Manesar — Star Special Air Gases Private Limited — has started philanthropic work by providing refilling of oxygen cylinders for free.
“We provide refilling of oxygen for free. If anybody charges anything, one can complain to us and we’ll take action. We aren’t doing it as part of any business but to help people during these terrible times that we are facing. All one has to do is get their empty cylinders and we’ll provide free and prompt refilling,” said Arjun, an official at the plant.
On Saturday, however, one of its tankers was allegedly seized by officials in Rewari district and diverted to Panipat to get oxygen for Rewari. “We were compelled to arrange a private tanker from the market and it reached the factory around 8 pm,” said a company spokesperson.