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Winnipegger organizing oxygen concentrator drive to help India battle COVID-19 wave

Last Updated Apr 28, 2021 at 6:07 pm MDT

WINNIPEG — A Winnipegger is collecting supplies to send overseas to help India battle a massive wave of COVID-19 and its variants.

Heartbreaking images have come out of India in recent days, where doctors are desperately searching for oxygen to keep their patients alive.

Governments around the world have committed to sending supplies, including a $10-million promise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

But some Canadians are finding more ways to help.

RELATED: SOS messages, panic as virus breaks India’s health system

“When I saw people waiting in all directions outside the hospitals and literally dying, I was moved to send at least something that I could do on my personal side,” said Anil Sedha, who is organizing the drive for oxygen concentrators.

Sedha quickly began researching how he could buy and send oxygen concentrators.

The concentrators are able to turn the surrounding air into purified oxygen, eliminating the need for refills or replacements.

He ran into a wall when he realized he needed a medical establishment license to get the tanks shipped to Canada. But was able to buy them and have them shipped to a friend in the United States, who is sending them to New Delhi and the Indian Red Cross.

He had to work through nuances like appropriate size, voltage differences, and customs, but now the first two are on their way.

“Even if we save one life, two lives, whatever. It’s a huge difference.”

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The India Association of Manitoba says every effort helps in this dire situation.

“Every dollar actually helps,” said Priyanka Singh, an India Association board of directors member. “And every oxygen concentrator can save one life then it can be re-used on another patient. If a patient’s oxygen levels get back to normal, then the same oxygen concentrator can be used for another patient.

“We still have to save as many lives as we can.”

Singh’s parents, who are in their 70s, live in India but have so far been safe. Her best friend, Shouvik, tested positive for the virus Monday.

“To be very honest, I’ve been losing sleep for the last three, four days. I am getting up at 3 a.m. and thinking about how my family and friends in India are doing.”

Sedha and Singh are hoping to raise more money to send as many concentrators as possible.

If you’d like to help, you can contact the India Association of Manitoba.