The second Covid-19 wave has hit India, and hit hard. India is presently battling an aggressive second wave of the covid-19 pandemic. India’s coronavirus situation is worsening day by day with the country reporting a record surge of nearly 3 lakh new infections and over 2,000 deaths per day. We never ever thought a second wave would hit us so hard within a few months. Record jumps in coronavirus infections on a daily basis have pushed health infrastructure to the brink in several states. While patients are scrambling to secure hospital beds, hospitals are running out of oxygen supplies and critical anti-Covid-19 drugs along with medical staff reportedly stretched to the breaking point. All the planning that went into successfully tackling the first Covid-19 wave were forgotten, and we are back to square one.

Fr. Baby Ellickal, the Provincial and the President of Sneha Charitable Trust had a discussion with directors of St. John’s Hospital, St. Martha’s Hospital St. Philomena’s Hospital and the Archdiocese of Bengaluru about how to respond to the Covid second wave crisis. In the light of the above discussion an emergency meeting was convened with various persons of different capacities and Camillian Task Force (CTF) coordinators to respond and take necessary actions to manage this pandemic crisis.

The decisions of the meeting are the following:

We have decided to render our professional services as doctors, nurses, counsellors and volunteers. We have decided to provide PPE Kits, Oxygen Cylinders, Covid diagnostic testing kits, coffin boxes, medicine and food and nutrition supply in collaboration with Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation, Taiwan.

1. We have decided to avail our human resources to St. Martha’s and St. Philomena’s Hospitals.
2. a) For Martha’s hospital we decided to send medical doctors (Dr. Mathews Marian Mathew MBBS, DNB, Family Medicine and Dr. Jobin George MBBS) Nurses (Teji Anickattuvayalil and Madhu)
3. b) In Philomena’s hospital we have decided to send Medical doctors (Dr. Siby AM MBBS, Dr. Sumesh MBBS & BAMS, Dr. Thomas Xavier MBBS), professional counsellors (Prakash Kuttiath, Reji Kaithaparambil, Joy Inchody and Bacil Sing) and health care volunteers (Camillian Brothers and Camillian Sisters) to assist the covid affected and infected.
4. We have also decided to support both the hospitals by providing the PPE kits and covid diagnostic kits for three months.
5. We continue the collaboration with the Archdiocese of Bengaluru: we have decided to provide PPE kits, coffin boxes for the burial managing team of the Archdiocese and also decided to supply food materials to the needy as per the request.
6. We have also decided to extend our medical care and material resources such as PPE Kits, Oxygen cylinders, medicine and food and nutrition supply to religious institutions, destitute homes, orphanages and social rehabilitation centers that are either infected or affected with covid 19.
7. We have decided the conversion of the Upasana Study House, Balaji Nagar, Bengaluru as covid center in case of emergency.
8. We have also decided to avail our Ambulance Service in case of an emergency.
9. We have also decided to support all our social Rehabilitation centers with PPE Kits, Oxygen Cylinders, Medicines, Covid diagnostic Testing Kits, Food and Nutrition Supply.
10. Jaison Narikuzhiyil and Fr. Bijoy Kuliraniyil will coordinate the supply of the materials like PPE Kits, Oxygen Cylinders, covid diagnostic testing kits, medicines, coffin boxes, food and nutrition.
11. Sunny and Fr. Sunil will coordinate assignment of the volunteers (doctors, nurses, counsellors, health care workers) to St. Philomina’s, St. Martha’s Hospitals, religious institutions and the Archdiocese of Bengaluru.
12. The meeting decided to set up an emergency covid ICU in Snehadaan Hospital, Ambedkar Nagar, Carmelaram to take care of the covid infected persons (Fathers, Brothers, sisters, volunteers and other covid warriors).
13. For any Medical Query on Covid an online help desk is formed. The contact persons and numbers: Dr. Mathews Marian Mathew-9447381738, Dr. Siby AM- 9483448175, Dr. Jobin George- 8281233551. Dr. Thomas- 7204964327 and Dr. Sumesh- 9895123472
14. For Psycho-social Support, the contact persons are: Rev. Dr. Biju Kizhukkarakkattu- 9886570340, Rev.Dr. Reji Chacko-9497394102, Rev. Dr. William- 7829376311, Fr. Joy Inchody-9483268375, Fr. Sunny Mathew: 9513069446 Fr. Prakash Thomas- 8778841017.

COVID-19 Second Wave Emergency Team

St. Camillus Provincialate