Piramal Foundation to invest Rs 100 crores towards COVID Relief in partnership with NITI Aayog

The foundation will set up 100 COVID Care Centres (CCCs) in rural and tribal blocks across 25 of the worst-affected aspirational districts, and will provide home-care support to the tribal and rural population with poor access to health services in the 112 districts

In order to address the current emergency due to the second wave of COVID-19, Piramal Foundation, in partnership with NITI Aayog, will invest Rs 100 crores towards COVID relief in the aspirational districts. Under this, it will set up 100 COVID Care Centres (CCCs) in rural and tribal blocks across 25 of the worst-affected aspirational districts, and will provide home-care support to the tribal and rural population with poor access to health services in the 112 districts, it said in a statement.

It also said that 100 30-bedded temporary CCCs are planned at the block level in 25 aspirational districts, including four districts in Maharashtra. Each centre will cater to the population in the catchment area of the associated Primary Health Centre (PHC). These will be dedicated spaces for COVID-positive, asymptomatic- or mildly-symptomatic cases to be isolated and cared for in a well-ventilated room with essential facilities.

Besides, home-care support will be provided to 20 lakh rural and tribal communities in 112 aspirational districts via over 1,000 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and more than one lakh volunteers to support COVID patients and families as a viable alternative for asymptomatic, mild-symptom patients seeking support from hospitals. Through local NGOs, the intervention will enlist and train volunteers to engage with patients based on in-bound/out-bound calls to educate caretakers to follow COVID protocol and provide timely updates about patients. In Maharashtra alone, it aims to reach 1.25 lakh people in 32 blocks of four aspirational districts of Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Osmanabad and Washim, the statement stated, according to the statement.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Swati Piramal, Public Health Expert and Vice-Chairperson, Piramal Enterprises, said, “As the pandemic spreads rapidly from urban areas to the rural hinterlands, containing the second wave of COVID-19 and curtailing the severity of a third wave is the top priority of the government. With its limited public health infrastructure and lack of skilled personnel, the rural health system is not adequately equipped to manage a surge in cases. There is a need for urgent and innovative action to address this gap. ‘Anamaya’, the Tribal Health Collaborative and other Piramal Foundation initiatives will help reduce the burden on the system and improve access to healthcare for the rural and tribal communities.”