Funds raised through Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan’s emergency covid appeal are already having an impact. In particular, a number of life-saving projects have been mobilised in Kutch, Gujarat – overseen and delivered by Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Bhuj and other temples in the region. The rural nature of Kutch means that the need for our work here is particularly acute.

Oxygen concentrators have already been sourced, purchased and delivered to where they are needed the most. It is expected that more of these devices, which are vital in the fight against COVID-related deaths, will be distributed in the coming days and weeks. Concentrators alleviate the pressure on hospital oxygen supplies, which are already under tremendous pressure.

Rapid COVID testing kits have been purchased and distributed, with more on the way. Diagnosing coronavirus’s presence is still a hugely important line of defence against its spread, and this can only be done by testing more and more people. Rapid testing allows diagnosis and isolation, which starves the virus of transmission opportunities.

Many members of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan are medically trained, creating a growing Response Force that is able to visit homes in the villages of Kutch to evaluate, treat, counsel and continuously monitor patience. This alleviates pressures on hospitals that are already being overwhelmed, and reduces the number of people crowding at hospitals and medical centres – further reducing transmission.

Through these visits, those with acute needs are then transferred to hospitals for treatment, based on hospital vacancies. Patients who cannot afford medical treatment have their hospital fees funded by the Sansthan Funds raised through the Sansthan’s emergency appeal are used to enable this growing operation including transport, provision of PPE, rapid test kits and medicines, and hospital fees where required.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in high demand during the pandemic, and in response to potential shortages and logistics challenges, Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan is already rapidly procuring PPE and distributing them to frontline health workers in Kutch. Healthcare professionals rely on PPE every single day to protect themselves and their patients from the spread of coronavirus..

Vital medicines that have proven effective against COVID-19 continue to be purchased by Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, and freely distributed to those who have tested positive. This is particularly important in Kutch, where medicines can be inaccessible and unaffordable to many.

Vaccines are the primary tool in the fight against the pandemic, and Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan is establishing mass vaccination centres in various regions to support the roll out. The funds raised through our emergency appeal have already enabled vaccination centres to be established in Gujarat, and with more funds being generously donated from around the world, we hope to support more centres of this kind.

Your generosity is already saving lives.