Anantapur, 17^th June, 2021: A new oxygen generator was inaugurated at RDT’s Bathalapalli Hospital at an event attended by Ms. Nagalakshmi Selvaraj, the Collector and District Magistrate of Ananthapuramu along with Ms. Anne Ferrer, Executive Director, Mr. Moncho Ferrer, President of the Board of VFF USA, and Dr. Praveen Kumar, RDT COVID-19 Hospital Director.

This oxygen generator was acquired thanks to the support thousands of donors around the world as part of the RDT Mission Oxygen campaign, which was launched in April 2021 to mitigate the devastating impact of the COVID-19 second wave.

The certified oxygen generator can provide ‘on-demand’ oxygen by taking in air from the atmosphere and producing oxygen in quick and easy processes. A single oxygen-generating machine can produce 500 liters of oxygen per minute. “I am very glad to be part of such a special occasion,” said Ms. Selvaraj. “The acquisition of this oxygen generator for RDT COVID-19 Hospital is not only of relevance for the organization but for the entire region of Anantapur.” She thanked RDT for its efforts to contain the spread of the virus during the first and second wave.

RDT’s Bathapalli Hospital was re-appointed an exclusive COVID-19 Hospital on 19^th April 2021. Since then, it has received thousands of patients, most with severe symptoms who needed continuous oxygen supply to keep them alive. “All the beds in our hospital were occupied within two days of being reappointed COVID-19 Hospital. This generator is going to ensure self-sufficiency for our hospital and it will allow us to not be dependent on liquid oxygen suppliers, which has brought so much uncertainty during the last months.” shared Dr. Praveen Kumar, the Director of RDT COVID-19 Hospital. “We now feel prepared to face any challenges in the future.”.

Reflecting on the needs of the hour, RDT Executive Director Anne Ferrer thanked all those who have come forward to support RDT in these difficult times. “To have this generator finally up and running is a silver lining that shows us that together we can defeat this virus. However, if this pandemic has taught us something important is that we cannot let our guard down,” she stated.

As part of the Mission Oxygen campaign, the hospital was also able to acquire essential medical resources such as oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, PPE Kits, and pulse oximeters and provide nutritious food for the patients and the staff. “With the generosity of our friends in India, Spain, Germany and the USA, RDT’s Mission Oxygen has gained momentum,” added Mr. Moncho Ferrer.

RDT’s Bathalapalli Hospital staff has been working round the clock to provide healthcare for those suffering during this second wave. To support the efforts of the local authorities and respond to the spike in the number of cases during the month of May, the hospital increased the number of beds with oxygen supply to 278.

“The cases have been progressively decreasing during the last few days, but RDT will continue to be at the frontline supporting the local authorities in providing access to all those in need and giving awareness,” concluded Mr. Moncho Ferrer.

Since the first wave, RDT’s Bathalapalli Hospital has treated more than 8,200 patients, 2,000 of which arrived during April and May of this year. Hundreds of people who could not be admitted to the hospital also received consultations at the triage center and follow-up care when in home isolation.

Text: RDT adapted by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA