U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce Foundation Shipment of Oxygen Concentrators Reaches India
In addition to the Indian American doctors in West Texas who sponsored this shipment, nearly two dozen organizations have supported the USICOC Foundation’s efforts. (photo provided)
India-West Staff Reporter
The U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce Foundation of Texas May 11 announced that it has shipped another 128 oxygen concentrators to India to bolster its efforts in aiding the country through its recent COVID-19 surge.
In total, the foundation has sent over 85 ventilators and nearly 250 oxygen concentrators shipped for pandemic relief efforts.
This is the fifth shipment sent by the USICOC Foundation. These 128 oxygen concentrators are headed to government and non-government organization hospitals in three states across India including Mercy Mission, an organization of more than 300 volunteers including alumni from Bangalore Medical College, which is providing medical care for migrant workers and rural communities during COVID in and around Bangalore, Karnataka, the release said.
Neel Gonuguntla, president of USICOC Dallas-Fort Worth, who is leading efforts on behalf of the USICOC Foundation and nearly 20 partnering community organizations in Texas, credited many individual donors, businesses and community organizations for their efforts.
The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India continues to be devastating in India. Many Indian Americans with close ties to India are feeling the impact of the second wave at a very personal level and are channeling their prayers and good wishes by helping to send needed medical equipment though the USICOC Foundation, the release said.
Gonuguntla who, along with Ashok Mago and Jagdip Ahluwalia, has been overseeing the fundraising as well as helping to coordinate the efforts said, “this effort is only possible because of the hundreds of helping hearts. This entire effort has been a symphony of compassion on behalf of donors, logistics providers, airports, airlines, and the teams on the ground in India.”
Big Logistics, DFW Airport, and Qatar Airways helped provide all the logistics support for this shipment, the release added.
In addition to the Indian American doctors in West Texas who sponsored this shipment, nearly two dozen organizations have supported the USICOC Foundation’s efforts, including the USICOC Foundation, the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Dallas, the Sri Meenakshi Temple Society, Ismaili Jamatkhana in Houston, Dallas Indian Lions Club, Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple of Frisco, Dawoodi Bohra Community, IT Serve Alliance, Ekta Mandir- DFW Hindu Temple, Gupta-Agarwal Foundation, West Texas Indian American Doctors, Austin Indian Community, USICOC Foundation, IIT Alumni Association of North Texas, India Association of North Texas, Gujarati Samaj of Dallas, Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, Indian Doctors Association-Houston and St. Louis Hindu Temple, among many others.