Covid Hospital: One of the MM NGOs, HBS Hospital, again became a dedicated COVID facility in April with 50 beds. In April-June 2020, HBS served 800 inpatients, 8700+ outpatients & became a leading COVID hospitals in Bengaluru. It also was among the few hospitals providing dialysis to COVID patients. In response to the huge requirement for Oxygenated beds, HBS added 24 beds to be able to admit and treat more patients. The 24 beds & equipment addition at HBS was supported by Rotary Midtown, MCKS, Prestige group, Sansera Foundation and Silverline Group.
Operationalizing Al Ameen Hospital: In May, HBS Hospital was invited by the management of Al Ameen Hospital in Vasanthnagar to open Covid operations. With strong eorts and support from MM NGOs, Al Ameen Covid Centre was made fully operational with 40 beds within 4 days. While HBS Hospital handled the medical aspects, MM team heads & volunteers handled all the non-medical responsibilities such as security, supplies, ambulance, operations, pantry, procurement, repairs & maintenance, installation, facility development, nursing assistants etc. 80 patients were treated at this facility.
Funds raised from Juniper Networks, Infocore and many other individuals and organizations were used for adding to the capacity addition at both hospitals. We are extremely grateful for the tremendous support received by the hospitals to enhance the Covid response.
Mercy Mission applied to Give India for an Oxygen Generation plant at Al Ameen Hospital. A 665 LPM O2 plant from Europe worth ₹1.25 Cr+ has been approved and installed.
Varcity Step-down Hospital: With the support of APPI, MM completely facilitated HBS Hospital to open & operate a hotel called Varcity Palace as an Oxygenated Centre having 32 rooms. This centre hosted patients recovering from COVID who were fit for discharge but needed close monitoring & Oxygen for some more time. It helped enhance hospital capacity & free beds for critical patients, and served to host doctors and nurses on Covid duty.
With the surge in demand in the 2nd wave, this model, now adopted and renamed by govt as “Step Down Hospital” opened on 30-Apr-2021. ~100 patients were admitted and benefitted from this facility. We are grateful to Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives (APPI) for their support to this activity in both the waves.
Mercy Angels (Covid 2.0): Unfortunately, we had to upscale Mercy Angels operations in April due to surge of deaths in the city. In two months of Apr 15 to Jun 15 2021, Mercy Angels did ~759 last journeys to crematoriums, cemeteries & burial grounds. 6 hearse vans and 38 volunteers worked incessantly to meet the demand. Various teams of volunteers worked across town providing this service. Vans were provided by Halai Memon Jamath, Al Ansaar Trust, Humanitarian Relief Society (HRS), Project Smile and HBS Hospital for this activity. We are indebted to Special Initiative Riders for donating a Maruti Eeco van to Mercy Angels for enabling a dignified farewell to the departed.
Covid Care Center (CCC) at St. Josephs: Given the rapid and extensive spread of Covid, one major response to reduce spread was to open CCCs and isolation facilities operated by NGOs in collaboration with hospitals. St. Joseph's College, Shantinagar, was one of the large CCCs in the city. The facility was created for underprivileged and the urban poor who were either asymptomatic and mild patients, and who could not isolate themselves in their houses without risking other family members. Mercy Mission worked with Hasiru Dala and Mission Vishwas who set up and ran this center. HBS Hospital was the medical partner for the CCC and took care of all escalations that came from this CCC.
Supporting Covid Care Centers In Hassan And Gulbarga: Mercy Mission also played a catalytic role in setting up CCC’s across Karnataka tying up with local medical teams & NGOs. We have supported in the setup of 2 facilities a 43 bed CCC in Hassan which started services on 15th May in collaboration with Hassan Humanitarian Services.
A 30 bedded CCC in Kalburgi started by the Humanitarian Relief Society commenced treatments on 23rd May. These CCCs are the first line support to patients and are providing beds FREE OF COST in rural areas. MM has despatched a total of 2 BiPAPs, 2 Monitors, 96 oxygen cylinders along with PPE kits, Masks, face shields and Oximeters to these two locations. A total of 263 inpatients and 842 outpatients have benefitted from the FREE OF COST services that were provided.