India – Salesian Family in Hyderabad: ambulance and many initiatives for Covid-19 patients and needy

16 June 2021

(ANS - Hyderabad) - The "Saint Joseph" Province of India-Hyderabad continues to work in many ways and without pause to help people infected with Covid-19, their families, and those suffering from the consequences of the pandemic. Among the most significant initiatives recently launched is an ambulance service made available by the group of past pupils of the Don Bosco Institute in Mangalagiri.

The Past Pupils felt called to provide this good and much-needed service after having had to helplessly witness the death of many people - friends and collaborators - affected by Covid-19, due also to the unavailability of means of transport to reach hospitals with the oxygen.

Mr. Ravi, the President of the Local Union of Past Pupils, together with other members and the Salesian community of Mangalagiri, raised funds and made friends and agencies aware of this cause. So they managed to buy an Omni Van and transform it into an ambulance.

The vehicle, which offers its service free of charge to the poor, entered service last Sunday, June 13, 2021, after a ceremony that saw several Past Pupils participate, including the President of the "SC Finance Corporation" for Andhra Pradesh, Fr Garlapati Michael Kishore, Provincial Delegate for Past Pupils, Fr Parokaran Jose, Delegate for the Local Union of Mangalagiri, and Fr Banda Suresh, who thanked the Past Pupils for their generosity.

Especially noteworthy, among the other initiatives recently carried out in the INH Province:

  • The “Don Bosco Navajeevan” center in Visakhapatnam accompanies migrants through an awareness program and the distribution of dry ration kits to 350 families.
  • The "Don Bosco Navajeevan" center in Vijayawada has also set up a transport service to and from hospitals for Covid-19 patients and their families, while it continues to provide hot meals to families in quarantine or in isolation, and also works to support the government vaccination campaign for the area's slum dwellers and migrant workers.
  • The "Don Bosco Seva Kendra" (DBSK), the Provincial Planning and Development Office, with the support of many organizations such as "Zomato India", "Nestle India", "Accenture", and the "BoscoNet" of New Delhi distributed pre-cooked meals to over 700 people with Covid-19 in the areas of Bandalaguda Jagir Municipal; together with other NGOs, since May 6, it has served food to around 5,000 migrants in the Kuntlur area; and on 12 June it delivered 750 food rations to migrants from various villages - an initiative, the latter, that also saw INH Provincial, Fr Thathireddy Vijaya Bhaskar, and Fr Bellamkonda Sudhakar, Director of DBSK, directly participating in the operations. Furthermore, it plans to distribute 6,000 food kits and 5,000 health kits over the next few months to day workers in rural areas who have lost their jobs in the Indian states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and southern Orissa.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information".