Ranga Reddy: GMRVF's CSR activities benefit elders

Ranga Reddy: During these unprecedented times of Covid-19 pandemic, elderly people are the most vulnerable due to their diminishing immunity. Things could become worse if they cannot afford medicines or treatment. While the vaccine to fight corona is still a far cry, awareness and prevention remain the best protection.

For the benefit of the elderly underprivileged sections in the adjoining villages of the Hyderabad International Airport, the Hyderabad unit of GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF), the CSR wing of GMR group has been organising 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 started again 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). These services supported by GHIAL have been running since the last 15 years.

Since May 18, apart from this GMRVF has been conducting free regular health checkups and distribution of medicines through its mobile medical unit to senior citizens in the villages around the airport.

Till date, nearly 2,400 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, sanitisation, personal hygiene, nutrition, immunity diet, etc.

Apart from this, with the support of United Nations Population Fund, the mobile medical unit had recently organised 12 camps to spread awareness on Covid-19 and distributed pamphlets. In these camps as well free regular health screening and distribution of medicines were done for the needy which benefitted close to 900 senior citizens and GHMC workers.

During the lockdown, GMRVF also distributed dry ration kits consisting of rice, dal, oil, soaps and essentials to elderly people in various areas of Hyderabad like Airport colony, Mamidipally, Gollapally, Charinagar, Shamshabad, Rashidguda and Ranganayakula Thanda.

As many as 337 elderly persons were benefited in these villages. Also, with the support of WIPRO foundation, GMRVF distributed about 300 grocery kits to elderly people in MMU operating sites.