Hyderabad: GMRVF distributes medicines to aged

Hyderabad: During these unprecedented times of COVID-19 pandemic, elderly people are the most vulnerable due to their diminishing immunity. For the benefit of the elderly underprivileged sections in the adjoining villages of the city, the Hyderabad unit of GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF), the CSR wing of GMR Group has been organizing awareness camps on COVID-19 through its Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) since the beginning of the pandemic.

While the services of MMU were suspended for close to a month owing to the Covid-19 lockdown; it got a re-start from April 15 onwards serving the needy once again. The MMU along with many social development programmes are run under the CSR initiatives of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL).

The GMRVF's Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), a clinic on wheels, staffed by one doctor, one pharmacist and a driver, and also accompanied by a social worker/health worker to assist in awareness and regular medical checks to provide primary healthcare services to the doorsteps of people living in rural and under-served areas.

Since May 18, GMRVF has been conducting free regular health checkups and medicine distribution through its Mobile Medical Unit to senior citizens in the villages around the airport. Till date, nearly 2400 elderly people from 13 villages have been benefited from this. All beneficiaries are also being educated on COVID-19 precautions, emphasizing on the importance of safe distance, wearing mask, sanitization, personal hygiene, nutrition and immunity diet etc.

Apart from this, recently, with the support of UNPFA (United Nations Population Fund), GMRVF's Mobile Medical Unit has organized 12 camps to spread awareness on Covid-19 through distribution of pamphlets. In these camps free regular health screening and distribution of medicines were done to the needy which benefitted close to 900 senior citizens and GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) workers.

During the lockdown period, GMRVF distributed dry ration kits (rice, dal, oil, soaps and essentials) to elderly people in various places of Hyderabad like - Airport Colony, Mamidipally, Gollapally, Charinagar, Shamshabad, Rashidguda, Ranganayakula Thanda etc. 337 elderly were benefited in these villages. Also, with the support of WIPRO foundation, GMRVF distributed about 300 grocery kits to deserving elderly people in MMU operating sites.

The foundation has created an impact on over 1 lakh lives and being supported by over a 1000 member team working across 24 locations across India.