Coronavirus in India: Big corporates extend helping hand to meet demand for ventilators

As India begins the fight against novel coronavirus, experts fear there could be a severe shortage of ventilators. In the wake of the crisis, many Indian corporates have extended helping hand to meet the growing demand for ventilators.

An analysis shows that in India an estimated 5-10 per cent of total patients will require critical care in the form of ventilator support as infections rise. According to rough estimates, there are about 30,000 ventilators in India.

Doctors told India Today TV that the country would need 80,000-1,00,000 more ventilators by mid-May.

Coronavirus in India: How corporate India is helping tackle virus outbreak

To fulfil the requirement of ventilators, many big industries in India have extended support.

Mahindra and Mahindra or M&M has started to work with two large PSUs to help them to simplify design and scale-up capacity. Along with that, they are also working on an automated version of the Bag Valve Mask ventilator (commonly known as Ambu bag).

Top automobile manufacturers Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors have extended to help ventilator manufacturers by aiding them with support items.

Mails written to different ventilator manufacturers, accessed by India Today TV, show how industries have come together to fight the cause.

BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited), India’s largest power generation equipment manufacturers have also sought technical details from ventilator manufacturers to help them upscale the production of ventilators. All electronic divisions of BHEL are working towards the cause.

Reliance Industries Limited has also extended to share the workload of the existing manufacturers to meet the growing demands of ventilators, which can be distributed through their CSR (Corporate social responsibility) initiatives.

RIL has also enhanced its production capacities to produce one lakh face-masks per day and a large number of personal protective equipments (PPEs) such as suits and garments for health workers across India.

Also Read | Covid-19: Prabhas donates Rs 1 crore to AP and Telangana government

Also Watch | Coronavirus: India imposed lockdown much earlier than other countries