Mumbai, April 21, 2020: Cipla has committed a significant amount of INR 25 crore fund to support the fight against COVID pandemic in India. The fund will be utilised to support multiple government initiatives, state relief funds and in-house support activities.
Of the Rs 25 crores set aside for COVID response, the Company has announced a donation of Rs 9 crore to the PM CARES Fund. In addition, the company will make a donation of Rs 8 crore to different State authorities.
According to the company officials, these contributions will help to further several immediate and long-term relief efforts that the country needs to combat the size and scale of the crisis it is confronted with.
Over and above, Cipla Foundation, the social responsibility arm of Cipla, has committed Rs4 crore towards COVID response programmes, many of which are already underway. The Company has also allocated INR 4 crore towards the supply of essentials including medicines, personal protective equipment, sanitisers, masks, gloves and food. Cipla is committed to combatting the crisis on multiple fronts:
The company officials said that the COVID fund include a voluntary donation of approximately Rs 3 crore from Cipla employees who have stepped forward in this hour of national need. Through its wide-ranging relief efforts, the Company is focusing on initiatives that have the maximum impact and reach. It is currently supporting public health institutions, frontline healthcare workers, vulnerable patients and communities struggling in the aftermath.
Through its Foundation, Cipla has been supporting public health and charitable hospitals to manage the crisis and serve vulnerable patients in need. Since Maharashtra is one of the worst affected, the Foundation has partnered with several hospitals in Mumbai to strengthen the state’s healthcare infrastructure to tackle the pandemic. Towards this, the organization has supported the setting-up of a COVID- 19 24/7 testing laboratory at JJ Hospital that will benefit over 4,000 patients as well as the city’s only isolation ward for paediatric patients suspected of having COVID-19 at the BJ Wadia Hospital for Children. The Cipla Palliative Care & Training Centre in Pune also continues to offer 24/7 care to patients and families during this challenging time.
Support to healthcare workforce
To safeguard frontline healthcare workers, the Company is supplying essential items like masks, PPE, gloves and sanitizers to over 10,000 doctors, paramedics and associated institutions including tertiary municipal and district hospitals. A webinar series is also being organised in association with industry bodies like the Indian Chest Society, International Diabetes Federation to equip healthcare workers with necessary information on the pandemic.
Through its Foundation, the company is connecting doctors and healthcare workers across India with the AIIMS and ICMR led knowledge network on COVID-19 through ECHO India-a technology-based knowledge sharing platform. These online facilities, the first in India for the pandemic, will be set up at leading government and medical colleges.
Community care amid COVID Pandemic
In furtherance of its responsibility to the community, Cipla is providing essential supplies, such as medicines, PPEs, food packets, sanitizers, masks, and gloves to those engaged in essential services like the police and public transport operators as well as individuals living near the Company’s facilities. Cipla Foundation has partnered with organizations on the ground as well as with the local administration to reach those who are in need.
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