Plan International launches #HelpIndiaHeal campaign as COVID-19 situation worsens

(DELHI): As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in India, the country, which is in the grip of a public health emergency, is in desperate need of aid. Plan International has launched a fundraising appeal to help address this humanitarian crisis.

The child rights and humanitarian organisation will be providing assistance in the following areas:

• Food aid. Plan International is fundraising to support 100,000 vulnerable families in rural and urban communities by supplying food baskets.
• Protection for COVID-19 workers. The organisation aims to support 100,000 doctors, nurses, frontline health workers, police personnel, sanitation and other workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to enable them to continue delivering services to COVID-19 patients.
• Mass awareness campaign. Plan International will support one million adolescent girls, boys and young women in 1,800 villages to raise awareness of how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including tackling stigma and myths surrounding vaccinations.
• Oxygen concentrators for COVID-19 patients. We will supply 500 COVID-19 care and treatment centres in district headquarters and smaller towns with high flow oxygen concentrator machines to enable them to support COVID-19 patients who need supplemental oxygen.
• Support 10,000 COVID-19 patients from vulnerable communities in 20 districts by setting up temporary COVID-19 care centres where they can access care, treatment and nutrition.

Mohammed Asif, Plan International India’s Executive Director, said: “The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India has created an unprecedented public health crisis. Our health system is being overwhelmed by an unending stream of COVID-19 patients seeking medical assistance and supplemental oxygen.”

“Our project #HelpIndiaHeal seeks to offer much needed humanitarian assistance to vulnerable families. During the pandemic, girls and children are some of the worst affected. They are at risk not only from the health emergency due to the virus, but also from its other impacts on children’s education, risk of early marriages, domestic violence, child labour and loss of livelihoods. We are planning to support at least one million vulnerable families in both urban and rural areas across India to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on their lives.”

Susanne Legena, Plan International Australia CEO said: “We at Plan International Australia want to take this opportunity to send solidarity to people in India, and across the entire region where many countries are struggling with the devastating impacts of the virus. Despite a return to COVID-normal in Australia, this global pandemic is not over for anyone until it’s over for everyone.”

“Globally, we all need to work towards equity in response to COVID-19. The fact is that the impacts of the virus have hit hardest on the poorest people in India and elsewhere in the region and globally. This is devastating.

We are also deeply concerned that children who are forced out of school because of this crisis are at greater risk of child marriage and exploitation. Many children, especially girls, may never return to school.””

For further comment, images and background please contact Plan International Australia media and ambassador manager James Norman on 0451291775 or public relations advisor Claire Knox on 0452326549