COVID-19 Emergency Response: Situation on Ground

As India fights to stay afloat amidst the COVID 19 lockdown, the elderly are struggling to simply survive. Senior citizens have been the worst hit, as they are the most vulnerable especially those above 80 years of age who are at a high risk of succumbing to COVID 19. As per CDC, it is as high as 14.8%. For those above 70 years it is 8%. In India, government has been pro-active in taking a number of steps. Despite this, there is so much still be done, as our numbers are huge.

HelpAge India is reaching out to the elders, homeless and migrant daily wage laborers who are facing their toughest time right now.

Awareness is key, especially in rural areas and interiors. We at HelpAge have a 160 plus strong Mobile Healthcare Unit network and our teams have reached out to elders and their community both in urban and rural India, through our wide network of Elder-Self-Help-Groups, Helpline program, MHU beneficiaries, Old age homes and Senior Citizens Associations and are making them aware of the safety and preventive measures they must take to protect themselves against COVID 19, such as washing of hands, keeping social distance etc. Both on ground and through our nationwide Helpline.

Despite the challenges now on ground with the lockdown, our teams subject to  Govt. and local authority permissions, are now preparing the following:

1. Family Survival Kits which include basic ration like Rice, Wheat, Spices, cooking oil etc. along with Corona protective gear like masks, bathing and washing soaps, for disadvantaged elders and their family of 5.
2. Protective Hygiene Kits for our elders, to fight COVID 19 which include Sanitizers, Mask, Tissues, Handwash etc.
3. Free Meals to the homeless in night shelters, on roads, elders in old age homes, slums and migrant daily wage labours who have nowhere and no one to turn to.

All our work on ground is being done with utmost care and we are ensuring that all hygiene and precautionary measures are being taken care of by our teams, our foot soldiers as we call them.