Inspired by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and coordinated by Brahmavihari Swami and a team of donors and volunteers of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, the first shipment of liquid oxygen has been supplied to hospitals in Jamangar and Morbi to help ease the oxygen shortage facing the country.
With the generous support of donors in the UAE, the first two cryogenic tanks with a total of 44 metric tons (MT) of liquid oxygen (LOX) were dispatched from Abu Dhabi on 1 May and reached Mundra Port in Gujarat, India, on 6 May. From there, the special vacuum insulated tanks were taken by road to their supply destinations. Each custom-conditioned tank safely carries liquid oxygen at -185°C (-300°F) in accordance with international safety standards. Each tank provides sufficient oxygen to fill over 5,000 cylinders that will help to save many lives.
This shipment is the first of many shipments due to arrive in India as part of a massive supply chain arranged by BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi, that will provide 440 MT of liquid oxygen to India on a monthly basis.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is working closely and on a real-time basis with the Government of India and the State Government of Gujarat to identify locations to provide this oxygen free of charge.
The first liquid oxygen tank donated more than 8 MT of oxygen to the District Civil Hospital in Morbi. From there, it went to the Guru Gobind Singh General Hospital in Jamnagar to donate more than 12 MT of oxygen.
Morbi: Civil Hospital
In Morbi, the LOX tank was greeted by MLA of Morbi Shri Brijeshbhai Merja, Ex-MLA of Morbi Shri Kantibhai Amrutiya, Superintendent-in-Charge of Morbi Civil Hospital Dr. K.R. Saradva and Shri K.K. Parmar, representing the Head of Morbi Municipal Corporation.
Harismaran Swami of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Morbi, and the dignitaries performed pujan of the tank. The dignitaries present expressed their gratitude to the BAPS and donors for the timely donation of oxygen.
MLA of Morbi Shri Brijeshbhai Merja: “On behalf of the citizens of Morbi, I thank BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi and its donors who have sent us this liquid oxygen from more than 2,000 km away. BAPS has always come forward for relief work and in the same spirit they have provided this timely and critical blessing of 8 MT of FREE oxygen, which is going to be a life saver for our citizens who have been facing an oxygen deficit for some time.”
Superintendent-in-Charge of Morbi Civil Hospital Dr. K.R. Saradva: “We are extremely delighted to receive 8 MT of Liquid Oxygen from BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi and thank BAPS and its saints and volunteers for their efforts. In this unprecedented crisis, this oxygen will provide a lifeline to more than 190 patients in our hospital and others.
Jamnagar: Guru Gobind Singh General Hospital
In Jamnagar, dignitaries and hospital officials received the tank, including MP for Jamnagar Shrimati Poonamben Maadam, Gujarat Cabinet minister Shri R.C. Faldu, Minister of State Shri Dharmendrasingh Jadeja, Mayor of Jamnagar Smt. Binaben Kothari, Deputy Mayor of Jamnagar Shri Tapanbhai Parmar, Dean of M.P. Shah Medical college Dr Nandiniben Desai, Superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh General Hospital Dr. Deepak Tiwari, Additional Collector of Jamnagar Shri Rajendrabhai Sarvaiya, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation Shri Manishbhai Kataria and City Head of BJP Shri Bimalbhai Karagthara.
Pujan of the tank was performed by Dharmanidhi Swami of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Jamnagar, and other dignitaries. Thereafter, the dignitaries expressed their appreciation.
MP from Jamnagar Shrimati Poonamben Maadam: “This second wave has put us in an unexpected situation in which we have been unable to meet the oxygen needs of Jamnagar despite diverting all industrial oxygen resources for medical use. Jamnagar has the biggest government hospital in Saurashtra, treating more than 3,000 patients for Covid from the entire Saurashtra region. This oxygen will provide great relief to the people and we will be able to accommodate more patients here. I pay my humble respects to HH Mahant Swami Maharaj and the entire BAPS family worldwide, especially in the UAE, for extending this critical help to us.”
Minister of State Shri Dharmendrasingh Jadeja: “This help of 12 MT of liquid oxygen as free support from BAPS mandir in Abu Dhabi to the biggest hospital in Saurashtra will save thousands of lives. I thank the trustees of BAPS Abu Dhabi temple for this generous support to us.”
Mayor of Jamnagar Smt. Binaben Kothari: “On behalf of the citizens of Jamnagar, I am thankful to BAPS Abu Dhabi temple and its volunteers for providing this life saving oxygen to G.G. Hospital in Jamnagar. It is also important to note here that this is not just a onetime thing, but BAPS Abu Dhabi and the people of UAE are going to ensure continuous supply of oxygen to India. This is truly commendable.”
Dean of M.P. Shah Medical college Dr. Nandiniben Desai: “Our hospital serves three districts of Gujarat besides Jamnagar. We have been receiving patients from all over Gujarat and currently we have over 1,600 patients needing oxygen. We have been facing severe oxygen shortage and this help on 12 MT of Oxygen from BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi will help us a lot. We are extremely thankful to them.”
Superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh General Hospital Dr. Deepak Tiwari: “This Oxygen which we have received from BAPS Abu Dhabi Mandir from 2000 km as a community service free of cost is a boon to us as oxygen is the most important medicine needed in this pandemic. This 12 MT of liquid oxygen and the prayers of the saints will help all our patients immensely.”