Cab aggregator Ola has announced an initiative where people can request oxygen concentrators through the Ola app. In a statement, the company said that it has partnered with GiveIndia to provide the service, which will start rolling out in Bengaluru from this week. The service will be started with an initial set of 500 oxygen concentrators and in the coming weeks, Ola and GiveIndia are planning to scale it up across the country with upto 10,000 concentrators.
In a release, Ola said through this service, consumers will be able to log into the Ola app and request for an oxygen concentrator by providing a few basic details. Once submitted, the request will be validated and Ola will then pick up the concentrator via one of its cabs with a specially trained driver and bring it to the consumer’s doorstep, Ola said.
Once the patient has gotten better and no longer requires the concentrator, Ola said it will also pick up the device and return it to GiveIndia to get it ready for the next patient who needs it. This entire experience will be seamless and the oxygen concentrator, as well as the doorstep delivery and pickup, will be completely free for consumers, Ola added.
For the past few weeks, social media has been inundated with SOS messages of people seeking oxygen concentrators, cylinders and antiviral drugs used for COVID-19, as the health infrastructure in most parts of the country has been stretched thin amid the second wave of the pandemic.
“With the O2ForIndia initiative in partnership with GiveIndia, we will provide free and easy access to oxygen concentrators to those in need. We hope this initiative brings much-needed support during these very difficult times and helps in mitigating the pain and the anxiety among those impacted,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO of Ola.
“Through this initiative, we will provide oxygen concentrators to those recovering or isolating at home, right at their doorstep. We hope the easier access to oxygen will ease the distress of many patients,” said Atul Satija, CEO and Founder 2.0 at GiveIndia.