Hyderabad: Delivering free oxygen cylinders and medicines to those in need

HYDERABAD: At a time when hospitals are swamped with critical Covid-19 positive patients and their kin are running from pillar to post arranging oxygen, members of the Agarwal Samaj Telangana are offering oxygen concentrators to the needy for free.
The Agarwal Samaj, largely comprising members associated with the textile trade, has a network of about 65 to 70 people spread across 50 locations in the city. With monetary support, pouring in from within the community and from outside, they have been able to procure about 55 oxygen concentrators so far and is in the process of procuring another 100 to fight the acute scarcity.
“On an average, we receive close to 50-60 calls everyday from people who are in need,” said Govind Agarwal, president, Agarwal Samaj Telangana adding, “Apart from concentrators and cylinders we are also assisting patients with wheel chairs, beds, plasma donations, vaccine support, medicines etc.,”
Initially, the concentrators are set up for a patient for three days but the period is extended, if required. No deposit or rent is collected by the community. Their services are available in areas such as Nacharam, Abids, Banjara Hills, Malakpet, Kondapur, Serilingampally among others.
So far, they have helped close to 600 patients across the city with oxygen cylinders and concentrators.
“I was admitted in the hospital for a paralytic attack. Subsequently, I faced breathlessness due to which I had to be on constant oxygen support. I reached out to the Agarwal Samaj that arranged an oxygen concentrator for me, which I utilised almost for a month,” said Dr Rajeshwar Kukatla, a doctor.
Speaking about the initiative, former vice-president of Agarwal Samaj Telangana, Mahadeo Prasad Agarwal, said that the group decided to source and lease concentrators as the second wave started peaking. “As the situation turned grim, we decided to purchase oxygen concentrators and offer them to people who were running from pillar to post for oxygen,” he said.