The role of the government is being played by youngsters who are using social media platforms and personal contacts to help those seeking aid amidst the Covid-19 situation. Viral Gundecha and Harnish Joshi, both 24-year-old, have started Vasai-Virar Covid Resource (VVCR), a website to assist people who are helplessly running around looking for hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and plasma.
Gundecha, a social media marketing professional and resident of Vasai said, “I was disheartened to see the amount of people desperately asking for Remdesivir vials, oxygen cylinders and hospital beds on Instagram. I got over 20 responses when I was looking for Remdesivir for a relative but, none of the leads were verified. The Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) website was not updated either. That is when I decided to create a website with a friend where people could find verified information.”
The website created purely on a volunteering basis has information regarding ICU, ventilator, oxygen and isolation beds available in over 38 hospitals from Virar to Vasai region along with contact numbers and addresses. Information regarding oxygen suppliers and tiffin service providers is also available. In addition, the website has registration for both plasma donors and recipients where people in need can directly find a donor.
Also, the VVCR volunteers have set up a quick resolution team (QRT) to cater to emergency cases. Joshi, an animator by profession, said, “In emergency cases, people are in a panic state because they desperately need a hospital bed or an oxygen cylinder. In such cases, we first call the patient’s relative and gather basic details.”
Joshi said, “We inform them to initiate proning-a home process wherein the patient can be made to sit, lie down and breathe in certain positions to improve the oxygen level. By then, we search for a bed or oxygen cylinder through our contacts and reach out to multiple hospitals. We then provide the verified contact to the relative.”
Last week, a three and a half month old child who was suspected Covid-19 positive was provided with timely treatment by the VVCR team. Tiara Rodrigues, mother of the baby and a resident of Nalasopara said, “I did not know what to do or whom to reach out when my three and a half month old daughter was suspected Covid-19 positive. She had high fever for four days continuously.”
Rodrigues said, “Harnish from the VVCR team called us, and the team arranged for a bed in a hospital near our home. My daughter was admitted immediately and was discharged five days later.”
VVCR team has now grown from two to a group of over 80 volunteers. Gundecha said, “We are looking for plasma donors.” Anyone can reach out to vasaicoronaresources.net or contact via Instagram and Twitter.
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