Bokaro : A group of 18 young couples pooled funds from their pockets and started an oxygen bank for the needy persons. The noble step is being taken by the group, mostly businessmen, realising the oxygen crisis faced by many positive patients these days. This is the first oxygen bank in the district. The couples say oxygen will be provided absolutely free of cost to the financially weak residents of the town.
The group known as ‘Bokaro Midtown Couples’ associated with Rotary has provided Muktivahini, a vehicle arranged to carry the dead body to the Burning Ghat to perform the funeral ceremony. Though the oxygen bank has been launched at the time when the number of positive cases has decreased in the district, fresh cases surfacing can have its advantage. By Wednesday morning there were 472 active cases in the district.
Of these positive cases, about 160 patients are in home isolation. However since March there were 3831 persons detected positive. Of them, 3333 residents were cured and 26 patients have died. The recovery rate in Bokaro is above 90 percent, said Dr Ashok Kumar Pathak, civil surgeon, who appreciated the noble step taken by young couples launching Oxygen bank at this phase of pandemic.
Oxygen Bank was inaugurated by director of Bokaro General Hospital (BGH), Dr A K Singh. BGH is a dedicated covid hospital in Bokaro. Singh said that timely delivery of oxygen cylinders to Corona infected patients will prove to be very helpful in saving their lives. “Making oxygen cylinders available to the needy persons is really a praiseworthy step. It will help in providing relief to the Covid-19 patients,” said Dr Singh.
President of Midtown Couples, Puneet Johar, said that patients suffering from Covid-19 get infection in the throat as well as lungs. This causes them difficulty in breathing. In such a situation, the patient’s life can be saved by oxygen. Oxygen cylinders will be provided to needy patients. “We will provide free cylinders to the poor patients suffering from corona. Actually, the idea to launch Oxygen Bank is of women members, which we implemented,” added Johar.
Subhash Jain another member of the group said in this Covid-19 pandemic, oxygen is the biggest life support for positive patients. There is a bed crunch in hospitals. There are many asymptomatic patients who prefer home isolation. The oxygen bank will be a great help to them. “We have purchased 10 oxygen cylinders at present. If found needed more we will purchase it in second phase
Former president of the group, Sajan Kapoor said that “it is a small step to serve the society in this time of crisis. We have assessed that people, especially positive patients, are facing problems in getting oxygen. The cylinders will be issued to the patients on prescription of a practising doctor”. The group has also floated a mobile number 9431164552 on which residents can call for oxygen cylinders.
Photo : Couples with the Oxygen Cylinder at launching in West Inn at Nayamoad
