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 second cryogenic tank of liquid oxygen has been supplied to hospitals in Ahmedabad, Patan and Palanpur 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.
One tank supplied liquid oxygen to hospitals in Morbi and Jamnagar on 8 May.
On 9 May, from the second tank, over 4 MT of liquid oxygen was donated to Yogiji Maharaj Hospital in Ahmedabad, over 8 MT of oxygen was provided to the GMERS Hospital in Patan and more than 8 MT of oxygen was donated to the Civil Hospital in Palanpur.
Patan: GMERS Hospital
In Patan, the LOX tank was greeted by dignitaries and officials, including MLA of Patan Dr. Kiritbhai Patel, DDO Patan Shri D.K. Parekh, Dean of GMERS Hospital Patan Dr. Yogeshanand Goswami, Medical Superintendent of GMERS hospital Dr Manishbhai Ramavat and Council Member of Patan University Shri Snehalbhai Patel.
MLA of Patan Dr. Kiritbhai Patel: “On behalf of the people of Patan,I appreciate BAPS for extending this free help of 8 MT of liquid oxygen. BAPS temple in UAE has proved that their temple is not only a place for prayer but it is also a place for service. This is critical and timely help provided by BAPS Mandir in UAE and the Indians residing there. I salute their patriotism and love for India because of which they have provided this valuable support to Patan”
DDO Patan Shri D.K. Parekh: “On behalf of the Government of Gujarat and Patan district administration, I want to thank BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi and its donors for sending this critical 8 MT of free oxygen to the GMERS Hospital which is the main hospital of Patan district. We already have 250 covid beds, all occupied – 60 with ventilators and the rest with oxygen. We were in critical need of increasing our beds and we had the infrastructure available. But we lacked the oxygen to support these beds. This oxygen will help us in this critical time to extend our bed capacity and provide help to the waiting patients.”
Medical Superintendent of GMERS Hospital Dr. Manishbhai Ramavat: “Today we received 8 MT of liquid oxygen from BAPS UAE for our newly constructed 100-bed covid hospital. GMERS is the main hospital of Patan District. We already have a 250-bed covid facility, but with the increase in demand we created the new extension of 100 beds, but we were running out of oxygen for this increased capacity. I am very thankful to BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi and Indians in UAE for sending this oxygen from more than 2000 km away. It will definitely help us serve more patients in a better way.”
Council member of Patan University Shri Snehalbhai Patel: “I am extremely thankful to BAPS UAE and the Indians living there who have provided this free oxygen to the people of Patan. We are in a remote region of the state of Gujarat and so getting this kind of critical and quick help in this time of crisis is really unexpected. My heartfelt thanks to BAPS Mandir in UAE for showing urgency in extending us this help.”
Palanpur: Civil Hospital
In Palanpur, dignitaries, businessmen and hospital officials received the tank, including Chairman of GNP Trust Shri P.J. Chaudhari, Medical superintendent of Civil Hospital and Banas Medical College Dr. Sunil Joshi, CEO of Banas Dairy Dr. Viren Doshi, businessman Shri Rajubhai Modi and board member of Banas Dairy Shri Bharatbhai Patel.
Pujan of the tank was performed by Uttampriya Swami of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Mahesana and other dignitaries. Thereafter, the dignitaries expressed their appreciation.
GNP Trust Shri P.J. Chaudhari: “The hospital has 500 beds and we hare treating 200 covid patients free of cost here. Civil Hospital is the main hospital in the entire Banaskatha district and we have 350 oxygen beds, but we were unable to use them because of the lack of oxygen availability. The 8 MT of liquid oxygen we have received free from BAPS Mandir in UAE will help usto save a lot of lives in this time of crisis. It is truly a commendable job by BAPS. On behalf of the people of Bansakatha district, I would like to thank BAPS mandir in UAE for this help and relieving the stress that we have been experiencing due to oxygen deficit.”
Medical superintendent of Civil Hospital and Banas Medical college Dr. Sunil Joshi: “Since a long time we have been unable to use our ventilators and other equipment because of lack of enough oxygen. Today, BAPS has sent us 8 MT of Oxygen from more than 2000 kms away and filled the oxygen storage tank we have. It will allow us to use our beds and equipment to full capacity and help our patients. I would like to thank BAPS on behalf of Civil hospital Palanpur and Banas Medical college.”
Businessman Shri Rajubhai Modi: “Palanpur is a remore city on the border of the state of Gujarat and we have been worried about our city’s health infrastructure since the time covid hit us. We were worried if we will get enough support, but today when I saw BAPS sending this free 8 MT of oxygen from UAE, I was overwhelmed. With folded hands, I thank BAPS UAE and its donors for thinking of us and doing this selfless service. This will help save many lives in our city and in the entire district.”
In all the cities the doctors of the hospitals and relatives of patients were relieved to see oxygen arrive at their hospital. They thanked BAPS UAE and its donors for the selfless service that will help to save their near and dear ones.
Ahmedabad: Yogiji Maharaj Hospital
In Ahmedabad, the LOX tank was greeted by the CEO of Yogiji Maharaj Hospital Shri Amitbhai Doliya. He expressed his pleasure at receiving the 4 MT of free liquid oxygen, “We are delighted to get this free liquid Oxygen all the way from Abu Dhabi from the BAPS temple there. Many of our patients are on oxygen support and we have been worried about being able to procure sufficient oxygen for them. The oxygen that BAPS is donating will save countless lives not just in our hospital, but also in other places where they are donating. On behalf of our hospital and our patients, I would like to thank BAPS Abu Dhabi temple and its donors for extending this help to India in its time of crisis.”