Coronavirus India
S'pore Red Cross launches fund-raising appeal for India
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Sivakami Arunachalam
The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has launched a fund-raising appeal for India as the country battles a devastating second wave of Covid-19 infections.
India registered nearly 380,000 new cases yesterday, the highest single-day total in the world.
More than 18 million people in the country have been infected, and the death toll has surpassed 200,000.
The SRC aims to deliver assistance to communities in India and support them by providing desperately needed medical equipment such as ventilators, oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators.
Five ventilators are already on their way to community hospitals in New Delhi from SRC, through the Indian Red Cross Society.
More than $200,000 was raised in just a day through Give.asia and SRC's online and offline platforms.
No target has been set for the fund-raising effort, and Mr Benjamin William, chief executive and secretary-general of SRC, assured donors that there would be a proper accounting of all donations.
He was confident that Singaporeans would respond generously to the appeal. SRC will work with the Indian Red Cross Society and other partners to ensure all aid is channelled to hospitals treating the worst-affected communities, he said yesterday.
Mr William was speaking at a media conference at Red Cross House that included representatives from the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha).
Donations raised via the India Health Relief Fund, which was announced on Monday by SICCI and Lisha, will be directed to SRC's public appeal.
Lisha's chairman, Mr Raja Kumar Chandra, said that the association has applied for a tent to be set up at Little India Arcade in Serangoon Road for people to make donations.
Urging people to lend a helping hand, Mr Johnson Davasagayam, chief executive of SICCI, described the situation in India as a "humanitarian crisis of historic proportions".
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How to donate
Several organisations are helping to garner relief aid for India.
Singapore Red Cross (SRC):
Donations can be made online at redcross.sg/indiacovid19response
Cheque donations should be made payable to Singapore Red Cross Society, and should be posted to Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486.
Write your name, postal address and "India Covid19 Response" on the back of the cheque.
Alternatively, PayNow to UEN S86CC0370EFR2.
Indicate "India Covid19 Response" in the remarks. The SRC appeal ends on June 28.
Write your name, postal address and "India Covid19 Response" on the back of the cheque.
Alternatively, PayNow to UEN S86CC0370EFR2.
Indicate "India Covid19 Response" in the remarks. The SRC appeal ends on June 28.
Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI):
SICCI's DBS Bank account: 0720267338; Pay Now: UEN 193700026GIBD
Give.asia:
Individuals can make donations to any of the fund-raising campaigns at https://give.asia/covid19 or start their own campaigns.
Correction note: In an earlier version of this article, SRC listed its unique entity number as UEN S86CC0370EGEN. It has since clarified that the number should be UEN S86CC0370EFR2.
