Social outfit sets up oxygen bank for patients in home isolation

Gumla: Rauniyar Society — a social outfit in Gumla district — has set up an oxygen bank for Covid-19 patients in home isolation. The outfit began its service formally from Saturday. NGO officials said that one have to submit a security deposit of Rs 12,500 (refundable) and Rs 1,000 to receive an oxygen cylinder at their doorstep. However, those below the poverty line can avail the service for free.
The outfit has set up five helpline numbers for the purpose — 8252166263, 829257550, 8986839212, 8271662151 and 8409147960.
“The purpose of the oxygen bank isn’t to make a profit but help people requiring oxygen get easy access. We have started this service by pooling in resources to run it on a no-profit-no-loss basis. At a time when hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and oxygen supply is getting scarce, we only want to help the larger public,” the secretary of Gumla Rauniyar Society, Anmol Gupta, said.
He said that C Kullu of Sarnatoli locality was given the first oxygen cylinder as his son was suffering from infection and was in home isolation.
He added, “Realising the oxygen crisis in the district, I proposed to set up an oxygen bank and all our society officer bearers, patrons and other members supported it.”
The society has 15 executive members including officer bearers, six patrons and 320 members. “At present, the society has a stock of 10 cylinders, while 10 others are being procured,” an official said.
Notably, noted neurosurgeon Dr Vijay Raj of Ranchi, too, has contributed a cylinder to the oxygen bank. He said, “In the second wave, there is a crisis of two things — oxygen and hospital beds.”