Due to the unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases everyday leading to strain on Government machinery and Healthcare service organisations, CII has come forward to lend a helping hand to strengthen the fight against the pandemic by partnering with its member companies across Southern Region.

“Many of the CII member companies in the healthcare, pharma, life sciences and medical equipment sectors have ramped up production of essential medical supplies like Medical Oxygen, Ventilators, makeshift hospitals, ICU beds, Remdesivir and other viral drugs which are of immediate requirement for hospitals and primary health centres across the Southern Region,” said CK Ranganathan, Chairman, CII Southern Region.

As an immediate step, CII Member companies have come forward in setting up around 500 mobile make shift hospitals as part of their CSR activities. Member companies in the IT sector are working with State Governments in setting up of BPO centres to provide real time data on availability of beds in hospitals, oxygen cylinders and other critical items required for treatment of patients, he said.

Taking into the consideration of shortage of Remdesivir, CII members in the pharma sector have ramped up production of Remdesivir antiviral drug on a war footing and expect to produce one crore doses of Remdesivir in the coming months, said Ranganathan.

CII urges the State Government to step up the vaccination drive by collaborating with industries in setting up vaccination camps in their factory premises. Through this initiative, CII expects to vaccinate over 3 lakh people comprising industrial workers and their family members and communities in the neighbourhood in the six Southern States.

As part of the second wave of Covid-19 interventions, CII-SR with the active support of CII members including the Young Indians (Yi) and the Indian Women Network (IWN), various relief and rehabilitation measures were rolled out in close coordination with State Governments and district administration in the last few weeks.

The relief measures include supply of oxygen cylinders, ICU Beds, Personal Protective Equipment, Hygiene kits, Dry Ration kits, Medicines, Food items and other daily essentials. CII, with the support of member companies has distributed more than 500 oxygen cylinders, 150 ICU Beds with oxygen to various hospitals across the region.

CII is also mobilising relief materials that include 5 lakhs sachets of sanitizers, 10 lakhs masks, 50,000 gloves, 1000 oxygen cylinders and 3500 ICU beds for supplying to hospitals which are giving treatment to critical Covid patients in Southern States. Community Kitchens have also been set up benefiting over 1000 migrant labourers besides supply of ration kits to the poor people in different parts of the region.

CII has been working closely with State Governments and industry in Southern Region to arrest the spread of the second phase of Covid. CII would continue to engage industry members and community at large in creating awareness among people in combating the spread of coronavirus.

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