As the demand for oxygen and ventilators skyrocketed amid the surge in Covid-19 caseloads, Pune Platform for Covid-19 Response (PPCR), anchored by Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), has launched ‘ Mission Vayu’ and arranged for procurement and donation of 250 BiPaPs and 4,000 oxygen concentrators for the worst affected areas and hotspots.
This is one of the largest industry-led initiatives to support the healthcare infrastructure and tackle the pertaining oxygen shortages. These oxygen concentrators and BiPaPs will be donated to hospitals and institutions for charitable purposes and cannot be resold for commercial purposes.
The per-unit landing cost of BiPAP-Lumis (150 VPAP ST APAC TRI 4G) is estimated at around ₹1.8 lakhs and oxygen concentrators are at a projected landing cost of ₹60,000 per unit. The overall cost of procurement of these 258 BiPaPs and 4022 oxygen concentrators stands at ₹30 crores.
Mission Vayu is supported by Amazon as logistics partners. Amazon will be handling the entire logistics of airlifting the ventilators and oxygen concentrators from Singapore to India through designated Air India and other international carriers. The initiative is also supported by Air India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Temasek Foundation-Singapore along with 250 members and donors of PPCR.
In the last four days, PPCR raised about ₹12 crores to set up 12 oxygen generator plants at multiple government and private hospitals. With a combined capacity of generating 12 tonnes of oxygen a day.
PPCR has facilitated over 300 ventilators, 130 HFNOs, 600-bed covid care facility, support management of a 24-hour call center for patients and families, implementation and handling of bed management software and running one of the largest district-wide vaccination drives.
Sudhir Mehta, Lead and Coordinator, PPCR and President MCCIA said the initiative has received a good response. “Given the ongoing case positivity and fatality ratios, we will be able to impact at least 15-20,000 patients every week through this initiative. Supporting the healthcare establishments across major hotspots of Maharashtra was the need of the hour and the response we received has been extremely gratifying as we were able to raise sufficient funds and support from industries, businesses, philanthropists, and individuals within 24 hours” he said.