Our Help Offers Hope to India
In recent weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated India, reaching crisis status with nearly 400,000 new cases and 4,000 deaths reported daily. In messages from leadership, Drs. Ozuah and Tomaselli have reinforced that Einstein and Montefiore are committed to offering support to help India. As we know from our own experience with battling COVID-19 in the Bronx, having support from others is vital.
Einstein and Montefiore are partnering with the Afya Foundation and Sewa International to get much-needed support to India--through funds and equipment to combat COVID-19--as it battles a growing pandemic crisis.
The surge in India’s COVID-19 cases has resulted in acute shortages of oxygen, equipment, medications, and manpower, which are being addressed through large-scale local and international efforts like ours. Many critical needs—including food, shelter, supporting children who’ve been orphaned, healthcare, and complications related to long-COVID—are currently unmet and will require continuing support. Contributions small or large can help make a difference and offer hope to those on the frontlines of care as well as to those falling ill or worried about loved ones.
Supporting India’s Fight
“Time and again, our campus community has demonstrated its heart and compassion through its willingness to help others,” noted Drs. Sanjeev Gupta and Priya Nori in an e-blast to the Einstein community about Einstein and Montefiore’s collaborative efforts to raise funds and collect much-needed supplies and equipment. “We invite you to get involved and offer your support. Every dollar can help.”
To aid India, Einstein and Montefiore are partnering with Afya Foundation, located in Yonkers, which is working closely with Sewa International to provide on-the-ground support. Einstein has a long-standing relationship with Afya through our Global Health Center, and Sewa, headquartered in Houston, Texas, has an impressive array of volunteers in the United States and India and has demonstrated their ability to deliver resources where they are needed.
“The Swahili word afya means ‘good health’ and the Hindi word sewa means ‘selfless service.’ These two organizations represent these important ideals and have proven track records, so we can be confident that our funds will be used most efficiently and effectively,” said Dr. Gupta.
Those wishing to donate can:
- Visit our “Support India Critical Response Fund” page.
- Scan the QR code on posters and flatscreen monitors conveniently located throughout the campus to link to the donation page.
- Stop by the fundraising table in the Forchheimer lobby, sponsored by the Global Health Center. The table will be manned by Einstein students on Wednesday, May 12, between noon and 3 p.m., and during the Einstein appreciation event on Friday, May 14.
Dr. Nori is coordinating efforts across Montefiore to collect and donate equipment and supplies that are critical to caring for patients in India who are battling COVID-19. These items will be sent to the Christian Medical College (CMC), in Vellore. CMC Vellore is a top academic medical center in India, serving both rural and urban communities, and has a longstanding academic relationship with the College of Medicine through the Einstein Global Health Center. Doctors wishing to contribute online COVID medical expertise with patients may use these HIPAA-compliant external sites: https://mdtok.com/ and https://eglobaldoctors.com/.
The Personal Equation
In his message to the Einstein community, Dean Tomaselli observed, “While it has been hard for all of us to witness this latest wave of loss, it has been particularly difficult for those in our community with family and loved ones in India. We offer you our support and I encourage you to take advantage of the wellness services we offer if you feel you need additional assistance.”
The Einstein community is also invited to attend a COVID Day of Remembrance, marking the anniversary of the Bronx’s own battle with the devastating COVID-19 surge last year. The Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Einstein and Montefiore, in partnership with Montefiore’s office of government and community relations, is hosting the virtual event, which takes place Thursday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m., and will feature a keynote address by Dr. Earle Chambers and a panel discussion with several of our noted physician-researchers: Drs. Michelle Gong, Barry Zingman, Carlos Rodriguez, Matthew Akiyama, Carmen Isasi, and Anne Ambrose.
The event offers our Bronx community members an opportunity to come together and learn about our COVID-related research studies and clinical trials, the importance of vaccination, and the clinical services we provide for COVID “long haulers.”
Ultimately, through efforts like ours to help India, hopefully they, too, will be able to look back and recall the challenges and difficulties while also celebrating their frontline caregivers and all those who contribute to overcoming the pandemic.
Editor's Note: Those preferring to make a donation by check should make it payable to "Montefiore," noting "Help India" in the memo line. All checks can be mailed to:
Montefiore
Office of Development
3325 Bainbridge Ave
Bronx, NY 10467
Receipts for donations are mailed within two business days to the donor.
Posted on: Thursday, May 13, 2021