Caritas India & MMSSS’s Combined Initiative in Response to Covid – 19 Second Wave

It has been more than a Year and a Half since the COVID-19 pandemic penetrated to the deepest core of human civilization and made us realize the supremacy of Mother Nature. In India, after the first wave, we thought that we had gained control of the situation but the second wave found us inadequate for fundamental requirements such as Oxygen and Medical equipments. Covid-19’s second wave has put India’s healthcare ecosystem under extreme strain. Unfortunately, the current approach in the healthcare sector appears to be ‘business as usual’ and the real threat has been that the Policy Administrators have overestimated their ability and underestimated the Virus. As a result the Indian Citizens have taken the Virus lightly and not followed the strict compliances towards Covid-19 with peculiar behavior. Poor people are at higher risk of death because they cannot access and/or afford advanced care to save their lives. With the anticipation that the situation will considerably improve on the Medical side and it is time to assess the impact of the second wave. During the first phase of the pandemic, MMSSS was capable to provide relief assistance to 5000 members of the various Parishes with the assistance received from the Archdiocese of Madurai and Well-wisher with dry rations worth of Rupees Five Lakhs only.

To compete with the Second wave Caritas India through MMSSS, together came forward to initiate a Second Level Treatment Centre – SLTC with Madurai MSSS- Leonard Hospital, Batlagundu, Dindigul DistrictThis 300 bedded Hospital generally cater to the needs of the Inpatients and Outpatients from the interior villages of Dindigul and Kodaikanal is expected that a total No of 300 Covid patients to be treated in 90 days with the Financial support from Caritas India to procure the following items.

PPE Kit – For Caregivers/Staff, Persons, Visitors, People coming for Inspection, Monitoring, and on urgent basis provide Gloves, Sanitizer, and Masks etc.
Bedding – Bed, pillows and covers
Basic Medicines – Paracetamol, Multivitamin Zinc and Cough Syrup.
Medical Equipments – Urgently required & basically needed items like Steam Inhaler, Pulse Oxy Meter, Infra red Thermometer and O2 Concentrator 10L/min/
Monitoring visits – Records maintenance, Documentation and Information sharing.
Travel for Director – For periodical visit, Interface meeting with Government Officials/Health Department.
Oxygen Unit – In addition Caritas India has provided an Oxygen Unit to MMSSS for the House hold services that any person does have a need of Oxygen in an emergency condition.

LEONARD HOSPITAL, Bathlagundu – Procurement Details:

S. No	I. Name of the Equipments:	Quantity
1	N 95 Masks	5154
2	Steam Inhalers	300
3	10L Oxygen Concentrators	3
4	Fingertip Pulse Oxymeters	25
5	Infrared Thermometers	20
6	Gloves	3400
7	Surgical barrier	600
8	Bed Sheets & Pillow Covers	300
9	Mattress	11
II. Medicines:
1	Paracetamol 650 Mg	2700 Strips
2	Multivitamin With Zinc Tab	1350 Strips
3	Cough Syrup (100ML)	900 Bottles
III. Patients Detail:
1	Patients Treated	325
2	No of Free Treatments	110
3	Recovery Rate	94%
4	Directors Visits	02

Note of Thanks:

The Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod at Leonard Hospital serve the community with the motto “towards wholeness in love and service”. The Leonard Hospital Objectives are to bring alive the spirit of compassionate love in the healing ministry. To make quality health services available, affordable and accessible to all, especially in the underserved and un-served areas. To strive for promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health care to all, particularly to the poor and marginalized. To facilitate physical, psychological, social and spiritual assistance to everyone we serve so that the experience of sickness and suffering may be transformed into the fullness of God’s life. To empower people to plan for their healthcare needs and access their health care rights.