SRINAGAR: A philanthropy organisation based in Srinagar, Athrout is accelerating its efforts to combat Covid-19 pandemic in Kashmir and has so far donated scores of ventilators, oxygen concentrators and other aid kits to the hospitals to save the lives. Recently, it has offered six ventilators to Shere Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) taking the overall number of machine dedicated to the Covid treatment to 35 in the hospital. In emergency case, the hospital had dedicated six to the Covid facility, has procured 20 more, and while nine has been donated by philanthropy. “This means we can now handle 35 Covid patients who need ventilator support.

This is not enough but it has added to our capacity. In close to a month of treating the patients, very few needed machine support,” said a SKIMS doctor, aware of hospital’s developments. Kashmir Valley, as per the government figures, has 132 ventilators – all of them are in use, leaving not even a single machine for the Covid patients. The government has been claiming to procure 400 ventilators which have not reached so far.

As per the reports, a government hospital has also refused to take free ventilators from the Athrout, for reason better known to them, in times when there is a need of it. Abdul Wahed, a member of the organisation, told Kashmir Reader they have also procured 15 oxygen concentrators, which can be availed by anybody in need, besides 10000 protection kits for doctors, who also protested against shortage at hospitals, and about 30000 masks for the people in general. “This all was needed them, in fact there is more need of them in coming time. We are just at the beginning of the disease; we are doing what we could. We are aware about our health care system, and we can’t wait for people to die and not act,” he added.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz