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‘O2ForIndia’, an initiative to provide oxygen concentrators free of cost through Ola App for home-isolated Covid-19 patients in Bengaluru, was launched on Wednesday. The initiative is a partnership between Ola Foundation and GiveIndia Foundation.
Launching the initiative, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Covid Task Force Head Dr CN Ashwathanarayan, said: “This new initiative is being implemented in Malleshwaram and Koramangala, and later will be expanded throughout the city and also to other places where Ola is operating.”
“This service will be given only to patients whose oxygen saturation is below 94 per cent,” he added.
The service is being rolled out in Bengaluru with an initial set of 500 oxygen concentrators. Ola and GiveIndia are to scale this across the country with up to 10,000 concentrators in the coming weeks, said Ashwathanarayan.
To avail the facility, those with oxygen saturation below 94 per cent needs to log into the Ola App and request for an oxygen concentrator by providing a few basic details. Once submitted, the request will be validated and Ola will then pick up the concentrator via one of its cabs with a specially trained driver and bring it to the doorstep of those who placed the request within 30 minutes. The home isolated beneficiary shall have to pay a refundable amount of ₹5,000 per concentrator.
“Once the patient has gotten better and no longer requires the concentrator, Ola will pick up the device and return it to GiveIndia to prepare for the next patient who needs it. This entire service process will be seamless and the oxygen concentrator as well as the doorstep delivery and pickup will be completely free,” said Gaurav Porwal, Chief Operating Officer, Ola.
“We thank the Karnataka Governmen’'s support to our O2forIndia initiative in partnership with GiveIndia. We’re beginning in Bengaluru today and will be rolling this out across the country with up to 10,000 concentrators soon. We hope this will bring much needed support and relief to those in need,” said Porwal.
“Through this initiative, we will provide oxygen concentrators to those recovering or isolating at home, right at their doorstep. We hope the easier access to oxygen will ease the distress of many patients,” said KP Vinod, MD, Alliances and Government Partnerships, GiveIndia.
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