Fundraiser To Purchase Oxygen Generators For India Led By Rotary

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — While COVID-19 numbers are showing promise in Howard County, other places in the world are not as fortunate. India faces thousands of new cases every day and patients do not have access to lifesaving oxygen.

A Rotary Club area governor Temrah Okonski reached out to the Rotary Club of Columbia-Patuxent about the critical need for oxygen, noting that many Howard County Rotary Club members have either immigrated from India or have relatives still there.

So the local Rotary Club has assembled a rapid-response "breath of life" initiative to drum up money for the purchase of oxygen generators. According to the Rotary Club of Columbia-Patuxent, in one week, the club gave almost $10,000 for oxygen generators, which produce medical grade oxygen from ambient air and cost $550 each. Purchase and delivery of the equipment to India is being arranged by Disaster Aid International, a Rotary-sponsored organization that provides relief for emergencies anywhere in the world, the club noted on its blog.

A corporate interest in India is offering a dollar-for-dollar match to RCCP’s donation, which has enabled the shipment of 36 new oxygenators for distribution to the country’s rural hospitals, the club noted in its blog. This match also applies to any future contributions. The community can help support this "breath of life" initiative by visiting "Donate to the Trust."