ICICI to donate 1.8k oxygen concentrators to hospitals in Himalayan belt

ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, the CSR arm of ICICI Group, will donate 1,800 oxygen concentrators to sub-divisional hospitals in the Himalayan belt and remote tribal areas of India in 2021-22.

According to ICICI Bank, the donation is targeted at giving citizens in the regions with immediate oxygen support in the case of a medical emergency.

ICICI Foundation will offer the oxygen concentrators free-of-cost to more than 700 sub-divisional hospitals in approximately 175 districts in 17 states. Already, the first batch comprising 300 plus oxygen concentrators has been sent by ICICI Group.

The bank said that its CSR arm had procured the oxygen concentrators from BPL Medical Technologies as well as Phillips India, which are said to have a vast service network across India.

Prompt and efficient maintenance support for the oxygen concentrators will be ensured by BPL Medical Technologies and Phillips India, as and when needed, said the banking group.

Furthermore, ICICI Foundation is also offering a power back up system to ensure that the oxygen concentrators can filter and produce medical-grade oxygen without any interruptions even during power cuts.

ICICI Group’s CSR arm to donate 1.8k oxygen concentrators to hospitals in Himalayan belt. Photo courtesy of Sumedh/Wikipedia.org.

ICICI Foundation has also entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BPL Medical Technologies for jointly creating a specialized skill training module on the installation and servicing of the concentrators. The module will be part of the curriculum being provided by ICICI Academy For Skills, which is a part of the CSR arm.

ICICI Academy For Skills provides pro bono vocational training to lesser privileged youth. After training, the successful trainees can service oxygen concentrators for their livelihood, said ICICI Group.

Saurabh Singh – President, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth said: “Since the outbreak of pandemic, ICICI Group has undertaken relief activity in over 551 districts across all states and union territories of the country. The Group has spent Rs 200 crore to support the nation in its fight against the pandemic.

“The donation includes the Group’s contribution to the ‘PM Cares Fund’, supply of materials like ventilators, sanitisers, masks and personal protective equipment to state governments as well as local authorities, and upgrading medical infrastructure in several parts of the country.”

Saurabh Singh added that the foundation had installed 17 oxygen plants, contributed almost 100 ventilators, while offering 30 ambulances for India’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.