Lifesaving equipment leaves Galway for India
By Claire Henry
GALWAY’S Indian community have launched a fundraising drive to send lifesaving medical equip-ment to Indian hospitals amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The Indian community numbers more than 1,000 people across Galway City and County. Two of its members are now fundraising to purchase and send much needed medical equipment to help Indian hospitals struggling to cope with a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The initiative was set up by bio-medical engineer Suvarnkumar Gunde, who has been living in Galway for more than 10 years, and Athenry based research development engineer Sudhir Kamath. They have been joined by Atul Thorat, who is based in Cork and works as a Process Engineer at Merck Pharma, and Limerick-based design engineer Roshan Kolhe.
The group’s goal is to raise €20,000 and send as much medical equipment as possible to India. More than €13,000 has already been raised, and the team has sent two ventilators and six oxygen concentrators to the Akola district.
The cause is close to Mr Gunde’s heart as both of his parents and his brother are living in India. His parents have both contracted the virus, and his mother has just been discharged from hospital in recent days.
“People in India are very sick, and the virus is spreading so quickly throughout the population. The virus is so quick that some people don’t realise that they have it. “Much of the Indian population are now also facing post-Covid complication such as lung deterioration as well as other respiratory problems and fatigue,” he said.
The team are looking to send as many oxygen concentrators to India but find it challenging to source the lifesaving equipment at present. They have asked that anyone who may have equipment used to treat COPD or sleep apnoea in their home that is no longer being used, to contact them so that this equipment can be sent to India.
Donations can also be made by visiting https://gofund.me/6e474149
For more Galway Pulse stories click here.
