COVID crisis in India: supporting the most vulnerable

Stories | February 15, 2022

“The second wave of COVID-19 has a devastating impact, claiming lives in the community. The widespread infection caused severe sickness in towns and villages of Uttar Pradesh. Lack of information and loss of income added to the agony.”  CBM’s Dinesh Rana in India.

Many people drew on precious savings to manage under the COVID-19 restrictions. Many workers who relied on payments through daily labouring had no work and were unable to sufficiently meet their own needs and the needs of their families.

CBM teams in India remained greatly affected by the lockdown measures. The situation improved marginally from the previous month, and some restrictions were been lifted. CBM staff continued to work from home and navigated ways in which they could continue supporting people with disabilities and vulnerable people.

CBM partners in Assam and Uttar Pradesh focused their work on a COVID-19 response and delivering essential food items, including wheat, oil, pulses, oil and spices, to vulnerable people and people with disabilities.

CBM partners also supported frontline workers and local health clinics, providing them with life-saving personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves – without which they would risk their own life and the lives of people around them.

CBM partners were also committed to upholding the dignity of vulnerable women and girls, and women and girls with disabilities, by providing them with basic hygiene kits, which include sanitary pads.

In June 2021, reported indicated that 3.3 per cent of the population in India was fully vaccinated. In communities where vaccination hubs were been set up, CBM partners ensured that people with disabilities and vulnerable people didn’t miss out on getting a vaccination. They linked them with accessible transport to and from the vaccination facilities. It was crucial that people with disabilities had access to vaccines because, not only were they at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, but it provided a level of safety which helped them to return to work and education, regaining their livelihood.

CBM was pleased to announce that the eye hospital we supported in Andhra Pradesh re-opened in June 2021 after being closed for two weeks. While the hospital re-opened at a limited capacity, it provided some relief to those people awaiting emergency eye care.

Please donate today so people with disabilities are provided with essential food packages and health workers receive the PPE that saves lives.

Your support will also provide accessible transport to and from vaccination facilities for people with disabilities who would otherwise be prevented from receiving their vaccination.

CBM’s acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) for our projects in Uttar Pradesh and Assam.

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