Google, Microsoft and Amazon pledge resources for support against COVID crisis in India

India has seen a massive jump in infections in the second wave. It has been a true test to our hospital infrastructure as we are struggling to deal with the increasing cases. Most of all, there has also been a shortage of oxygen for patients in many cities across India. This has already forced the government to import oxygen and shift industrial production for medical purposes. Lending a hand to the government, the industry has also come together to extend whatever support they can. Among them, tech giants Google, Microsoft and Amazon have pledged their resources and grants to the crisis.

Read More: Startups founders crowdfund to help Delhi hospitals with Oxygen Concentrators

Google pledges Rs 135 crore for Covid support in India

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday said that he was devastated to see the worsening Covid crisis in India. Thus, he shared a blog post pledging Rs 135 crore for medical supplies and support in the country. Iterating the idea, Google India Country Head Sanjay Gupta said that the company will work with local governments in India to support them during the crisis.

Devastated to see the worsening Covid crisis in India. Google & Googlers are providing Rs 135 Crore in funding to @GiveIndia, @UNICEF for medical supplies, orgs supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information.https://t.co/OHJ79iEzZH

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) April 26, 2021

"Today we’re announcing Rs 135 Crore ($18 million) in new funding for India. This includes two grants from Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, totalling Rs 20 Crore ($2.6 million). The first is to GiveIndia to provide cash assistance to families hit hardest by the crisis to help with their everyday expenses. The second will go to UNICEF to help get urgent medical supplies. This includes oxygen and testing equipment, to where it’s needed most in India. It also includes donations from our ongoing employee giving campaign; so far more than 900 Googlers have contributed Rs 3.7 Crore ($500,000) for organizations supporting high-risk and marginalized communities", he wrote.

Microsoft pledges its resources, and technology to aid relief efforts and oxygen crisis

Microsoft CEO, in a tweet, has also pledged support to aid relief efforts and purchase critical oxygen concentration devices.

I am heartbroken by the current situation in India. I’m grateful the U.S. government is mobilizing to help. Microsoft will continue to use its voice, resources, and technology to aid relief efforts, and support the purchase of critical oxygen concentration devices.

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) April 26, 2021

Amazon partners with ACT Grants and Temasek

Amazon India on Sunday also said it has joined hands with ACT Grants, Temasek Foundation, Pune Platform for Covid-19 Response (PPCR) and other partners to urgently airlift over 8,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 BiPAP machines from Singapore. The Projected titled Mission Vayu aims to donate medical equipment to hospitals and public institutions; thus, augment their capacity to help Covid-19 infected patients across multiple cities.

In time of severe COVID-19 impact, we stand firmly with India, deploying our global logistics network to procure & urgently airlift oxygen concentrators, while exploring other ways to help.@PMOIndia @MoHFW_India @actgrants @Temasek @ppcr_pune @_sattva https://t.co/Xj0xLjhWUE

— Amit Agarwal (@AmitAgarwal) April 25, 2021

Amazon India is also procuring over 1500 oxygen concentrators and other critical medical equipment that it will donate to hospitals and medical facilities in partnership with multiple non-profits including Swasth, Concern India and impact organizations like ACT Grants and Sattva Consulting. The comoany also said that it will bear the cost of airlifting these machines. It will procure them through multiple funders including ACT Grants and PPCR, from Singapore to India, through Air India and other international carriers.

Further, the PMO on Sunday said that they will set up 551 dedicated pressure swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants in public health facilities across the country through PM Cares Fund to boost availability of the life-saving gas.