How to Give Help for India’s Covid-19 Crisis

India’s Covid-19 crisis is unlike anything seen during the pandemic.

Cases in the country have skyrocketed, with hundreds of thousands of people testing positive each day.

To date, more than 200,000 people have died from the virus in India.

As a result of the surge in cases, India’s healthcare system is struggling to cope.

Hospital beds and oxygen supplies are running low, meaning that many patients are struggling without aid at home or lying in beds outside hospitals.

This has prompted international organisations and charities to lend their help to India’s Covid-19 crisis.

Here are some of the ways people can help in supplying medical provisions, food and clean drinking water in the UK.

British Red Cross

More than 46,000 Red Cross staff and volunteers across 550 districts in India are supporting Covid-19 response efforts, including providing oxygen, ambulance services, first aid, medical care, and PPE within Indian communities.

The Red Cross is also working closely with authorities to care for those who need it most, including the elderly, single mothers, and people with disabilities.

You can find out more about the British Red Cross Global Coronavirus appeal and donate here.

All money raised in the next two weeks will go directly to the Red Cross Coronavirus response in India and will help those most at risk of contracting the deadly virus.

British Asian Trust

Due to India’s Covid-19 crisis, the British Asian Trust launched an emergency appeal, ‘Oxygen For India’.

The charity looks to raise funds for oxygen concentrators. Working with local partners in India, they will be sent to the hospitals and patients that need them most.

You can find out more about the British Asian Trust’s emergency appeal and donate here.

All funds will go towards providing as many oxygen concentrators to hospitals as quickly as possible.

Concentrators continually recycles oxygen from the air while cylinders contain a finite amount.

Action Aid

In response to the crisis, Action Aid launched an urgent appeal.

It plans to distribute 8,000 safety and sanitation kits, including protective items for Indian communities to use in sanitation work, burials and other essential activities.

Action Aid also vows to arrange testing and vaccination camps. For the most vulnerable, it looks to ensure they have access to health check-ups and quarantine information.

For more information on Action Aid’s Covid-19 appeal and to donate, check out the website.

For those with relatives in India, Action Aid has a direct cash transfer system to allow people to transfer cash for immediate food and health needs.

WaterAid

As part of WaterAid’s response to the crisis, the organisation has run a campaign to tackle the spread of Covid-19.

It has also looked to reach millions of Indians by providing them with access to clean water as handwashing is a key defence against the virus.

Funds raised will go towards providing citizens with clean water and building toilets.

You can find out more about WaterAid’s response and donate here.

Oxfam

Oxfam staff and volunteers are supporting India’s Covid-19 response efforts by working with the government to distribute PPE to frontline health workers.

It is also raising funds to pay for oxygen cylinders and other equipment for medical centres.

For the most vulnerable people, Oxfam is providing food, hygiene kits and handwashing facilities, as well as making direct cash transfers so they can buy what they need.

To support Oxfam’s efforts, donate here.

Oxfam is also working with governments and pharmaceutical companies to increase vaccine production and ensure access for everyone.

This is just a selection of organisations that you can use to help India’s Covid-19 crisis.

Other charities include Save the Children and Pratham UK.

As well as donating, you can call their helplines or visit their websites for more information on how you can help India manage the ongoing situation.