This week’s recap: Rural hospitals become operational, and more
Here is the summary of another week (10-16 May) in AID’s effort to support its grassroots partners during this time of crisis. A substantial fillip to these efforts came in the form of a $2.5M donation by #StartSmall, Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative, for which we are very thankful. You can read last week’s recap here.
Field hospital in Birbhum, West Bengal, set up in partnership with the Liver Foundation
One of the emerging focus areas in AID’s three-step response strategy is the installation of several rural field hospitals that have emergency medicines and equipment. The presence of trained professionals in these COVID care centres will allow rural communities to breathe a little easier. This week, hospitals run by Janpath (in Banaskantha, Gujarat), Mukti (in Sundarban, West Bengal), the Programme for Social Action (in multiple locations) and the Liver Foundation (in Birbhum, West Bengal) became operational.
We continued highlighting our partners’ efforts to mitigate the unequal impact of the second wave on different marginalized communities. In Murshidabad, West Bengal, the Karna-Subarna Welfare Society is assisting LGBTQ communities and migrant workers in obtaining life-saving care. In Bhilwara, Rajasthan, BMCS, which supports female survivors of violence, said that the health system appears to be on a ventilator. In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Lok Samiti is summoning up an urgent response to shortages in many areas.
Women’s Initiatives conducts an awareness session about COVID protocols and vaccines. From Chittoor Dist., Andhra Pradesh (May 2021)
In Kalahandi, Orissa, the Swasthya Swaraj Society is working with tribal communities who, having gone relatively unscathed during the first wave, are now having to respond to a surge in cases. Here and elsewhere, we documented how vaccine hesitancy is a problem that needs to be addressed urgently.
Beyond the facts and figures, we need to remember that there are human beings who are fighting to hold on to their lives in the midst of immense grief. There are human beings who are doing everything in their power to keep their loved ones safe. Your support will remain absolutely crucial to their efforts in the coming months, as India experiences the peak of the second wave.
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