E-commerce major Amazon on Tuesday said its Europe business has committed USD 2.5 million (about Rs 18.4 crore) while handset maker Vivo pledged Rs 10 crore to support India’s battle against the deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon in Europe is leveraging its scale and resources to support employees and communities in India amid the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a statement said. “Amazon’s business in Europe has committed USD 2.5 million to support people in India impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, by purchasing and transporting medical supplies,” it added.
The company is using its global logistics network to purchase, airlift and deliver some of the critical medical equipment identified by the Indian government. “Amazon will deliver oxygen concentrators from Italy, ventilators from the UK, and nebulisers and inhalation devices from Germany. The products will be provided to Amazon frontline workers and local charities to help those infected with COVID-19 across multiple cities in India, thereby supporting the capacity of hospitals, medical facilities and public institutions,” the statement said. This support is in addition to 100 ventilators worth USD 3.8 million that have already been procured through Amazon’s global resources in the US. Amazon India is working closely with the Indian Red Cross, under guidance from Niti Aayog and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which are defining the distribution plan for these ventilators.
The massive rise in infections in the second wave of the pandemic has led to hospitals in several states reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. Social media timelines are filled with SOS calls from people looking for oxygen cylinders, hospital beds, plasma donors and ventilators. Organisations across the spectrum have come forward to source and donate supplies like oxygenators, breathing machines, and ventilators. Chinese smartphone company Vivo has announced aid worth Rs 10 crore, including the previously announced donation of Rs 2 crore. “As part of the ‘vivoCares’ initiative, Vivo has undertaken several initiatives to help out those in need during this devastating second wave of COVID-19. Vivo will donate oxygen concentrators worth Rs 6 crore that will be distributed to various government hospitals to support the COVID relief measures,” a statement said.
The company has also partnered with ISKCON to distribute one lakh free cooked meals to COVID patients and families in Gurugram. In association with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Vivo will give out a ‘Happiness Kit’ for 500 students of a government school for six months in Delhi that will include food items, books and stationery and daily essentials. It has also pledged to donate 2 ambulances fitted with cardio-ventilator machines. “We are facing one of the worst crises in the history of humanity, and it is important for all of us to support each other in these unprecedented times. We all are in this together and will get through by helping each other,” Vivo India Director (Brand Strategy) Nipun Marya said.
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