Recently, Paytm announced that the company will be uplifting 21,000 Oxygen Concentrators (OCs) and is expected to reach India in the first week of May. The company has already raised Rs 5 crore from citizens for the initiative and has matched the same amount making it Rs 10 crore.
According to sources, a spokesperson at the digital financial services platform said in a statement, “Paytm Foundation has already placed an order for importing 21,000 OCs to provide immediate relief. Our founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma is leading a dedicated team with medical expertise to push forward and streamline company-wide Covid relief measures.”
The spokesperson mentioned that these devices would be immediately sent to government hospitals, Covid care facilities, private hospitals, nursing homes as well as Resident Welfare Associations.
“As part of Oxygen for Life Campaign, on the Paytm foundation’s website, private hospitals, RWAs, NGOs may request for guidance for purchase of the Oxygen Concentrators,” he stated.
Encouraged by the overwhelming support and contribution from people across the country, the digital payments platform is now aiming to raise over Rs 14 crore to source over 3,000 OCs over the next few days.
As per reports, the Paytm Foundation is also supporting other start-ups, organisations and enterprises to source OCs from the international market. The entire sourcing, regulatory approvals, and delivery will be managed by the foundation, while the other organisations will only need to pay for the cost of the OCs that they order. This will help in minimising the timeline for logistical requirements while ensuring that hospitals and other Covid care centres receive the much needed OCs sooner.
