How campaign ‘O2 for Madras’ helped COVID-19 patients

One group of volunteers took calls from patients and their families, while another group helped provide oxygen cylinders and concentrators

For 26-year-old Haani Abdul Qayoom, an environmental health scientist who had to stay back in Chennai after her flight to Dubai was cancelled, it was a blessing in disguise: she was able to gather her resources together and help COVID-19 patients in need of oxygen and hospital beds. That’s when she started the campaign ‘O2 for Madras.’ “When I saw what was happening around us I wanted to quickly find a way to provide patients with oxygen cylinders and concentrators first. So, we formed different volunteer groups immediately to help the patients,” she said.