Northwell sends relief to India as coronavirus cases overwhelm hospitals and the supply chain
Due to the size and scale of the crisis, India's landmass and added travel restrictions, many factors are affecting distribution.
Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña (right), Northwell Health's director of Global Health, readies supplies to send to India. (Photo courtesy of Northwell Health)
Northwell Health, in conjunction with the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, is shipping 1 million KN95 respirators, 35 ventilators and 1,000 oxygen concentrators to India, which is facing a catastrophic second wave of COVID-19.
The industrial-grade O2 concentrators literally pull oxygen out of thin air and can be used anywhere to treat patients. Similar units were used in field hospitals across the United States.
Northwell's initial shipment of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) left JFK International Airport early May 4, the health system said. The full sum of equipment should be in the country by the end of this week.
Northwell has also established a fund to support its Center for Global Health, which will direct all financial donations received this month to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). The funds will be distributed directly to COVID-19 relief measures.
WHY THIS MATTERS
India lacks supplies and hospital space as the country recently topped 20 million known cases of the coronavirus.
Essential equipment such as N95 respirators, PPE and oxygen are at critical lows – a dangerous combination that is overwhelming India's public and private health systems and threatening the well-being of more than 1.3 billion people, Northwell said.
THE LARGER TREND
The Biden administration has pledged to send 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, and the U.S. Agency for International Development has begun flying emergency supplies to the country, including oxygen cylinders, rapid diagnostic tests and 100,000 N95 masks, according to USA Today.
Northwell's efforts are being spearheaded by Northwell's Center for Global Health, which was established in 2019. The Center for Global Health partners with Northwell to develop new programs in its core sites – Ecuador, Guyana and India – and supports existing programs in affiliate sites in the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Uganda.
Northwell Health is among New York state's largest healthcare providers with 23 hospitals, 830 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.
ON THE RECORD
"We've been working with our partners and vendors [in the United States] to get supplies donated, to get shipping and cargo and air freight donated, to get the supplies as quickly as possible," said Center for Global Health Director Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, who stressed the importance of Northwell Health's supply chain and logistical support.
Due to the size and scale of the crisis, India's overall landmass and added travel restrictions, many factors come into play to get these supplies to the hospitals and patients that need them the most, he said.
"We also need to make sure that when we're sending these supplies," he said, "we're placing them strategically in the country."
Dr. Shashi Shah, chief of urology at Northwell's Long Island Jewish Medical Center, is a member of AAPI, which represents more than 80,000 physicians of Indian origin. Shah has been coordinating between the two organizations to streamline the process.
"Through AAPI's network of physicians and our relationships in India, particularly in the health systems, we can align with the right people who can help us make the most informed decisions and get these supplies – and just as important – the funds they need to address this crisis," Shah said.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com
