Bengaluru: An initiative ‘O2ForIndia’ to provide Oxygen Concentrators free of cost through Ola app for home isolated COVID patients, partnering Ola Foundation and GiveIndia Foundation,  was launched here yesterday.

Speaking after launching this initiative, Deputy Chief Minister and State COVID Ministerial Task Force Head, Dr. C.N. Ashwathmarayan 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. This is not required for those whose oxygen level Is above 94, he pointed out. The service is 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, he said.

How to avail this facility

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 amount of Rs. 5,000 per concentrator. Once the patient feels better and no longer requires the concentrator, Ola will pick the device back up 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 of cost.

Raghavendra Beluru, Chairperson, Karnataka State Handicraft Development Corporation, was instrumental in coordinating Ola and GiveIndia in this noble initiative.