U.S.-Based Alumni Of B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Donate To Help Fight COVID-19

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The U.S.-based alumni of B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad held a Zoom meeting recently to mobilize their community for donations that would help people back home treat thousands of patients in the region.

Even in the few days since March 30, 2021, when the Executive Committee members of B J Medical College Ahmedabad Alumni Association USA met, they have raised close to $100,000, according to President Dr. Gunjan Shukla.

The Executive Committee meeting included Dr. Shukla, president, as well as Executive Board members Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Dr. Pranay Vaidya, Dr. Gautam Shah, Dr. Yogesh Joshi, Dr. Dharmi Kanuga who is also a past president, Dr. Jayesh Kanuga, Member-at-Large Dr. Chirag Vasa, Dr. Bhupendra Kapadia, member of Board of Trustees, and Dr. Malti Mehta.

“During our recent Executive Committee meeting, we raised $80,000. Plus another amount of $20,000 was pledged by members,” Dr. Shukla said. “We do a lot of philanthropic work for our B.J. College including scholarships for the poor students. But in these unprecedented times, I called our meeting to help people dying because of shortage like oxygen. As physicians we do have the contacts to do something and not to wait.”

In this initial tranche, the alumni association has also used its emergency funds.  Some $20,000 worth of oxygen concentrators (each supporting 2 patients) were being sent; another $25,000 for vaccinations in remote villages through non-governmental partners; $30,000 in ventilators for those who are near dying and to villages where there are no ventilators, Dr. Shukla said.

Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold described the situation in India as a “calamity of the century” and noted, “Our Ahmedabad B.J. Medical alumni association has moved fast to mobilize resources to help the Motherland, and send critical life-saving medical materials.”

In addition, Dr. Parikh, who is senior advisor to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, noted, “We have sent through AAPI and partnering with SEWA International, 200 units of oxygen concentrators.”

Furthermore, Dr. Parikh, who is also the global chairman of Life Global USA noted, that with Bikhu U. Patel, founder of Tarsadia Foundation and chairman of Life Global California, 250 oxygen concentrates have already reached India.

“Whatever we can do we have a duty to do. Last year in New Jersey at this time, we had the same situation as India is experiencing now. So, I know what they are going through. And We never stopped working then, and we should not stop working to help India now,” Dr. Vaidya added.

“As the BJ-ite (B.J. Medical College) alumni and the past president of BJMCAA, USA I full heartedly support Dr. Gunjan Shukla’s initiative in helping our brothers and sisters suffering from Covid pandemics in India due to shortage of oxygen, medication and vaccination to fight the horrifying Covid infection,” said Dr. Dharmi Kanuga, joined by her husband, Dr. Jayesh Kanuga in an email message.

Each Oxygen concentrator costs $600 to $1100.00 depending upon the capacity. The organization is also raising funds to build an oxygen plant to help Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and other area hospitals for a more permanent solution.

This oxygen plant will cost around $43,000, the alumni association estimates. (see flyer for details regarding donations)