As educational institutions across the city gear up to lend a helping hand to those impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, the boarding block of Canadian International School (CIS), Bengaluru has been converted into a 120-bed oxygen facility in association with the Entrepreneur’s Organisation Bangalore Chapter.

Hoping to address the severe shortage of oxygen beds that the city is facing amid the grim pandemic situation, Canadian International School has partnered with the network of over 14,000 like-minded entrepreneurs and is converting the school’s boarding block into a 120-bed oxygen centre.

In an official communication, the school has, however, clarified that this will act as a facility only for non-critical cases who require oxygen.

The initiative is part of the campaign, ‘Take a pledge. Save Bangalore from Suffocating: 100 Lakhs. 100 beds. 100s of lives, to raise funds and other resources for the oxygen center at the school.

While space has been made available by the school on a non-profit basis, Cytecare Cancer Hospitals will be the medical partner and will operate and manage the facility end to end. The facility is expected to be ready around mid-May.

Beds will be made available in a phased manner, the school authorities said. In phase one, 50 such beds will be made available and the same would be scaled up to a 120-bed facility later. They estimate the cost of setting up the facility with oxygen and consumables at Rs. 1 crore.

Experts from Cytecare hospitals will screen patients on arrival to understand their needs. If patients need more medical attention, then they will be guided to a hospital.

Comments Anuj Jhunjhunwala, EO Bangalore Chapter President 2020-21, “We have in the past come together in a small way during the first wave of the pandemic. This year we have come together to make a larger impact, hoping to make a contribution to the war against covid.  Our fundraising target is 100 lakhs for 100 beds in 100 hours. SRLC is our platinum partner for our project with a donation of 30 lakhs.”

Meanwhile, Shweta Sastri, managing director, Canadian International School said, “We know we are living in an emergency situation and that people desperately need oxygen. The entire country is reeling under the pandemic and we thought we should do something for the community. Together with EO, we felt lack of oxygen to be the most critical issue now and that’s how the idea of the center came about.”

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