Google To Install 80 Oxygen Plants And Help Skill 2.2 Lakh Health Workers In Rural India With Rs 109 Crore

To help India improve its health infrastructure, Google has announced additional assistance of Rs 109 crore to install approximately 80 oxygen generation plants in healthcare facilities in high-need and rural locations.

Earlier in April, the tech giant announced grants totalling Rs 135 crore to expand the reach of public health information campaigns and support emergency relief work in India.

“We have worked to surface timely and reliable health information, amplify public health campaigns, and help nonprofits get urgent support to Indians in need. In April, through our philanthropic arm Google.org, we announced grants totaling $18 million USD (135 Crore INR) to expand the reach of public health information campaigns and support emergency relief work,” the company said.

With a focus on setting up oxygen generation plants and expanding the health workforce by strengthening COVID-19 management skills among frontline workers, Google announced new commitments to non profit organizations like GiveIndia, PATH and ARMMAN.

“Google.org will support procurement and installation of approximately 80 oxygen generation plants in healthcare facilities in high-need and rural locations with new grants totalling approximately $15 million USD (109 Crore INR) to GiveIndia and PATH,” the company added.

Also, as part of its new commitment, Google is investing in the efforts of Apollo Medskills to help upskill 20,000 frontline health workers through specialized training in COVID-19 management..

To further bolster these efforts, Google.org would provide a USD 5,00,000 (Rs 3.6 Crore) grant to nonprofit ARMMAN. ARMMAN will run skilling programs for 1,80,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and 40,000 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) in 15 Indian states. It will also set up a call centre to provide additional help and advice for ASHAs and ANMs where required.