Stamford, Conn. – Americares is accelerating deliveries of PPE and critically needed medical equipment to health facilities throughout India on the frontlines of the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreak. India set a record earlier this week, surpassing 350,000 COVID-19 infections in 24 hours, and the crisis continues as overwhelmed health workers struggle to meet the demand for care.
The Americares India team based in Mumbai has already delivered over 6.6 million protective supplies for health workers, including masks, gloves and gowns since the start of the pandemic and plans to deliver thousands of more supplies in the coming weeks. Americares relief workers are coordinating deliveries of ventilators and other desperately needed medical equipment to COVID-19 treatment centers. Americares plans to provide expanded support to 30 health facilities in the 10 states with the highest case counts.
“Health facilities throughout the country are completely overwhelmed. Patients are lined up outside hospitals waiting for their turn for a bed,” said Americares India Managing Director Shripad Desai. “We are doing all that we can to support health facilities so they can continue providing care under extremely trying circumstances.”
Cases are rising rapidly nationwide, and the daily case count is expected to peak at 440,000 next week, Desai said. India, which has recorded over 17 million COVID-19 cases, now ranks second behind only the United States for the most infections in the world. To date, over 200,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported across India.
Americares has launched an India COVID-19 FUND with a goal to raise $5 million for its response to the surge, including deliveries of critically needed PPE to protect health workers, oxygen and other critically needed medical equipment.
Americares has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters at a moment’s notice and stocks emergency medicine and supplies in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. Americares has a distribution center in Mumbai and a team of 100 staff and medical professionals dedicated to improving access to care for families affected by poverty or disaster.
Americares responds to more than 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $19 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.
Americares has been providing assistance in India since the early 1990s and has had local presence in Mumbai since 2006. In addition to responding to floods, severe storms, disease outbreaks and other emergencies, Americares India operates mobile health centers that provide primary care services six days a week in the slums of Mumbai as well as a successful school-based health program reaching 22,000 children across 79 schools.
Donations to Americares India COVID-19 Relief Fund will support its response to the crisis. To make a donation, please go to www.americares.org/CovidIndia.
