23 June 2021, India: Standard Chartered has today announced its commitment to donate INR 20 crore to support the fight against the second wave of COVID-19 in India through several community initiatives. The Bank and its Global Business Services (GBS) unit in India will be working with multiple non-government organisations (NGO) partners and relevant governing authorities towards providing medical equipment, setting up dedicated COVID health centres and helping put up oxygen generator plants. Distribution of family essential kits to marginalised communities will also be taken up to help them during this challenging phase.

Standard Chartered will be providing 9000 PPE kits, 33 ventilators, 600 oxygen concentrators, 250 pulse oximeters and 9000 N95 masks across the eight dedicated COVID care centres and seven healthcare facilities including government hospitals. This assistance will be provided to establishments in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

A medical diagnostic laboratory is getting set up in Bihar, which will help conduct 19 critical tests while 11 oxygen generator plants will be put in place across tier 2 cities in nine states namely Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana.

Efforts are also been taken to assist COVID-19 patients who are below the poverty line. ICU beds are been set up in a government hospital in Karnataka and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators is getting supplied to another government hospital in Tamil Nadu for free treatment of such patients.

Additionally, 2350 family essential kits will be distributed to the marginalised families residing in select locations in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Most of these families belong to those affected by COVID-19 which has led to financial challenges.

The Bank last year had also provided funds to IIT Kanpur for developing a cost competitive ventilator which has been a big success as several thousand have already been deployed across 19 states.

Commenting on these initiatives, Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO, India and South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, said, “India is going through a tough phase with the second wave of COVID-19 leading to an unprecedented surge in cases. The entire nation is taking concerted efforts to tackle the pandemic. In line with our philosophy of affecting a real change in the communities, we at Standard Chartered too are doing our bit by focussing on several community initiatives and emergency relief efforts to support the cause of helping the nation to recover swiftly.”

Matthew Norris, Global Head, GBS, Standard Chartered, said, “These are difficult times for India. While the country is working tirelessly to mitigate the situation, it is also our responsibility as corporate citizens to play our part towards this effort of alleviating people’s problems. Through these several initiatives we are extending support even if in a small way towards this cause.”