TORONTO: Ontario Premier Doug Ford, joined VictorFedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, as well as Vikram Khurana, Chair of Toronto Business Development Centre, Paul Winters of UPS and Apoorva Srivastava, ConsulGeneral of India in Toronto to send 3,000 Ontario-Made ventilators to India.
Ford tweeted: “Folks, I’ve spoken many times about the OntarioSpirit and I am very proud to help our friends in need.”
An additional 2,000 ventilators will be sent soon, MPP Nina Tangri said. Tangri was part of a
panel comprising Premier Ford, other Ontario MPP and MPPs and Indo-Canadian media outlets to discuss Ontario’s support to India’s Red Cross to fight the surge in COVID-19 across India.
Meanwhile, leading Canadian aid agencies – through the Humanitarian Coalition – are
launching an appeal to raise funds and rush emergency assistance to people in need.
The number of cases of COVID-19 has surpassed 20 million and the death toll has passed 240,000. The deadly surge in infections is overwhelming health services across the country, leading to a lack of beds, healthcare personnel, and oxygen.
The wave of critical illness, coupled with lockdowns and curfews, is having a serious impact on livelihoods and food security across the country.
Humanitarian Coalition members are already actively responding to the crisis by supporting the healthcare system with oxygen, ventilators, field hospitals and PPE, promoting COVID vaccination and safe hygiene practices, and ensuring food security and basic survival for vulnerable families.
Richard Morgan, executive director of the Humanitarian Coalition, says, “The situation in India is alarming and heartbreaking. Our member agencies are working tirelessly to respond to the needs. We call on all Canadians to do what they can to help. Acting quickly and giving generously will save lives.”
The following agencies are members of the HumanitarianCoalition: Action Against Hunger, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the
World, Humanity & Inclusion, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan
International Canada, Save the Children, World Vision Canada.
Canadians can give to India COVID crisis relief at www.together.ca or by calling 1-855-
461-2154. The Humanitarian Coalition brings together 12 leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to help during large-scale humanitarian emergencies.