Ola launches 'O2ForIndia' to provide free oxygen to Covid patients at home

Bengaluru: An initiative 'O2ForIndia' to provide oxygen concentrators at free of cost through Ola app for home isolated Covid patients, partnering Ola Foundation and GiveIndia Foundation was launched on Wednesday.

On launching this initiative, Deputy Chief Minister and State COVID Task Force head Dr C.N.Ashwatha Narayana, said, to start with this initiative was being implemented in Malleshwaram and Koramangala and would be expanded throughout the city and also to all the places where Ola is operating.

This will be given only for those whose oxygen saturation is below 94.The service has been rolled out in Bengaluru with an initial set of 500 oxygen concentrators. Ola and GiveIndia will scale it up across the country with up to 10,000 concentrators in the coming weeks, Narayana told.

Those who require oxygen (oxygen saturation below 94) need to log into the Ola app and request for an oxygen concentrator by providing a few basic details. Once submitted, the request will be validated and Ola will then pick up the concentrator via one of its cabs with a specially trained driver and bring it to the doorstep of those who placed request within 30 minutes. The home isolated beneficiary shall have to pay a refundable amt of Rs 5000/- per concentrator. Once the patient has gotten better and no longer requires the concentrator, Ola will take the device back and return it to GiveIndia to get it ready for the next patient who needs it. This entire service process will be seamless and the oxygen concentrator as well as the doorstep delivery and pickup will be completely free.

Expressing gratitude for the cooperation extended, Gaurav Porwal, Chief Operating Officer, Ola, said, "We thank the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwatha Narayana for extending Karnataka Government's support to our "O2forIndia" initiative in partnership with GiveIndia. We're beginning in Bengaluru today and will be rolling this out across the country with up to 10,000 concentrators soon. We hope this will bring much needed support and relief to those in need".

"Through this initiative, we will provide oxygen concentrators to those recovering or isolating at home, right at their doorstep. We hope the easier access to oxygen will ease the distress of many patients," said KP Vinod, MD, Alliances and Government Partnerships, GiveIndia.

Raghavendra Beluru, Chairperson, Karnataka State handicraft development corporation who was instrumental in coordinating Ola and GiveIndia was present.