BCCI to donate 2,000 oxygen concentrators in fight against COVID-19
In a major move, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will contribute 2,000 oxygen concentrators of 10 liters each to help India fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the board will distribute such concentrators across India over the next few months. As India continues to battle the second wave of coronavirus, the demand for medical equipments has witnessed a spike.
"The BCCI acknowledges the stellar role the medical and healthcare community continues to play as we fight this long battle against the virus," said BCCI President Sourav Ganguly. "They have truly been front-line warriors and have done whatever possible to shield us. The Board has always put health and safety at the top of the chart and remains committed to the cause."
Last year, the BCCI had donated Rs. 51 crore to PM CARES Fund to help the nation cope up with testing times amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, the state associations also stepped up, and donated Rs. 50 lakh each. Earlier this year, former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar also donated Rs. 1 crore to help procure oxygen concentrators for COVID-19 patients in India.
An oxygen concentrator is a device that concentrates oxygen from ambient air to deliver the same. The device is useful for patients suffering from COVID-19, who face breathing issues. As compared to oxygen cylinders, which require refilling, concentrators are portable and need a power source to produce oxygen. Lately, dozens of lives have been lost due to a shortage of oxygen.
Over the past few months, India has been gripped with a deadly second wave of COVID-19. According to the Union Health Ministry, the nation reported a total of 2,67,52,447 COVID-19 cases till Monday morning. Meanwhile, the death toll has reached a new high (3,03,720). Notably, India now accounts for 8.6 percent of the global (34.7 million) COVID-19 fatalities. It has the third-highest death toll.
