The Christian Coalition of Health, which represents a network of 1,000 hospitals with a total of 60,000 inpatient beds across the country, has offered its facilities to the government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
This network of hospitals is second only to the government’s and includes the Catholic Health Association of India, the Christian Medical Association of India, Emmanuel Health Association, and the Christian Medical Colleges of Vellore and Ludhiana.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Coalition president Mathew Abraham said its network of hospitals had already been working with local government healthcare officials in the effort to battle the pandemic. “Member hospitals that are situated in remote areas are preparing handmade masks out of cloth and PPE made out of large plastic bags as protective gear for their healthcare workers.”
Calling for collaborative action, the Coalition has proposed to have two persons to coordinate with the government to tackle the outbreak that has stretched the resources of even first world countries.
With the nationwide lockdown forcing the closure of all religious places, the poor — who turned to these institutions for survival by way of the free meals offered by many — have been left high and dry with no source of livelihood.
In cities like Delhi, the arrangements made at the shelter homes to feed the poor are stretched as the langars at gurdwaras are no longer open.