Sailors’ Society distributes 5,000 Covid care kits in India

04/11/2021

Maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society, which is supported by Wescom Group, has handed out 5,000 Covid care kits in India.

The project was set up in response to India’s latest deadly wave of Covid-19. It was funded by a grant of nearly £160,000 from the Seafarers’ International Relief Fund and backing from The Seafarers’ Charity.

Each care pack contains enough basic medicine and vitamins for a family of five. It also contains a digital thermometer, a pulse oximeter for monitoring oxygen levels, face masks, hand sanitiser and an information leaflet.

Seafarer Raghu, who used the kit to monitor his temperature and oxygen levels as he quarantined from loved ones and colleagues, says, “I am very happy to have this kit. It is very helpful and very important to our recovery.”

Sailors’ Society provides ongoing support through a dedicated 24/7 paramedic-led helpline, which will run for 12 months and is available for anyone worried that they have contracted Covid-19.

Need for basic medicines

Sara Baade, Sailors’ Society’s CEO says, “We are so pleased to have been able to provide this support and to be there for so many seafarers and their families during this devastating latest wave in India. Many families have a real need for basic medicines and advice about how to recognise and respond to Covid symptoms and we’re glad to have been able to provide that for them.

“This preventative support has the added impact of reducing hospital numbers so that already pressured services are not totally overwhelmed.

With the help of partners, the Volunteer Health Services and Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, and volunteers from many seafarers’ clubs, Sailors’ Society’s team reached thousands of seafarers and their families in 12 port cities in India.

The project has been so successful that Sailors’ Society will be running a similar programme in Covid-hit seafaring communities in the Philippines this Autumn with the support of a second grant from The Seafarers’ International Relief Fund.

The image shows Sailors’ Society port chaplain Joel Das helping with the distribution of Covid Care Kits in Calcutta.