(Our Bureau, July 13)
The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is donating 160 low-cost CoVent ventilators to West Bengal in association with non-profit Bangla Worldwide. The lion’s share of units is being given to the state government and charitable hospitals while 40 are being gifted to private hospitals under the condition that they won’t charge patients for ventilator support.
“Applications were sought from NGOs and their credentials are being checked before the critical devices are handed over to aid treatment,” Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, who leads Bangla Wordwide, told Times of India.
Global Indians giving back
AAPI is the largest ethnic medical organization in the US representing about 10,000 Indian-origin physicians. Anupama Gotimukula, the newly appointed president of AAPI recently said that her organization envisages affordable healthcare services and aims to establish a support system for doctors.
The devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic brought the country’s shortage of ventilators to the fore. While a lot of help poured in from across the world, hospitals are now bulking up their resources ahead of a likely third wave.
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