Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: Waking up to the crisis, a noted charity organisation in Kashmir has decided to set up ‘Oxygen Baitulmaal’ to prevent the scarcity of life-saving gas in the valley.
Srinagar-based ‘Athrout Kashmir’ will set up ‘Oxygen Baitulmaal’ in the coming days to meet the COVID challenge.
While many states of India are battling with the oxygen crunch, the situation in Kashmir is still in control in terms of oxygen supply and demand.
However, given the huge surge in COVID positive cases and deaths, many local NGOs and other citizen groups are coming together to forestall the possibility of an oxygen scarcity in the valley.
Moreover, Athrout, which has always been at the forefront of helping fellow citizens out has planned an initiative entirely dedicated to the oxygen supply for COVID positive patients.
“In this Oxygen Baitulmaal, we will provide high flow oxygen to the patients at a dedicated space in our head office. It will have proper beds installed along with para-medical staff support,” a senior official at Athrout told The Kashmir Monitor.
The official said the decision was taken after assessing the situation outside the valley. “In Delhi, there are people seen connected to oxygen cylinders on roads. God Forbid, we don’t want that to happen here. This space will avert such tragedies as they will give immediate aid to those in need of oxygen,” he said.
Besides, the NGO has also initiated offering free (Personal Protective Equipment) PPE kits, hand sanitizers, masks, and pulse oximeters to the family members of those in home-quarantine, and the attendants of the admitted COVID positive patients in Hospitals.
“The price of pulse oximeters has shot up. A lot of people cannot afford it. Also, we realize the fact the same attendants have to rush to the doctors and attend to patients at the same time. The protective gear becomes important in such a situation to avert transmission of the COVID strain,” the official said.
