Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

In the state of Bihar in India where AMDA Peace Clinic (APC) is located, the COVID-19 outbreak has continued spreading in which a total of 61,788 people have tested positive for the virus until now, of which 21,093 people are currently batting the viral infection.  (The figures are as of 05 August and the death toll is 347, a local source said.)

Meanwhile, the situation in India as a whole remains on high alert in which a total number of infected cases has exceeded 1.9 million, with about 40,000 deaths.

Bihar’s state authority has already issued its second lockdown on 16 July in light of the soaring number of infected cases. And although it was originally scheduled to be lifted on the 31st, the lockdown has still been put in place with partial relaxation measures since 01 August.

While workers in essential industries such as those in the medical sector, construction, agriculture and food businesses (grocery vendors) have been exempted from the lockdown, many have not been able to return to work yet. This has forced a lot of people to persevere the difficult time.
 

AMDA started conducting a weekly food donation campaign just before the second lockdown was imposed. The target beneficiaries have been pregnant women who are registered at APC as well as those who are residing at an elderly nursing home run by a former APC staff.

Foreseeing that the whole situation may drag on, AMDA has decided to extend the project period from the original duration of two months. As of now, the number of pregnant women registered at APC has increased from 43 to 58.

The chart below shows the contents of APC’s relief work from 30 June to 5 August.

Date	Number of beneficiaries	Items donated per household
30 June	48 families + the nursing home	Bitter melons (1kg), spinach (500g), beans (1.5kg), potatoes (1kg), cooking oil (500 ml), salt (500g), *flour (4kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)
07 July	48 families + the nursing home	Pumpkin (1), beans (1kg), soy beans (200g), potatoes (1kg), chilies (100g), *rice (4 kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)
14 July	52 families + the nursing home	Bitter melons (1kg), soy beans (200g), beans (1.5kg), potatoes (1kg), chilies (100g), oil (500ml), salt (500g), *flour (4kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)
22 July	52 families + the nursing home	Grains (500g), beans (1kg), potatoes (1kg), *rice (4kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)
28 July	58 families + the nursing home	Grains (500g), beans (1.5kg), potatoes (1kg), oil (500ml), salt (500g), *flour (4kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)
05 August	58 families + the nursing home	Chick peas (500g), beans (1kg), potatoes (1kg), *rice (4kg) (*For those who are not entitled to the governmental support only)

 

【Comments from former APC staff Ms. Vedha, President of Vedha Mother Teresa Welfare Trust】

  “I would like to sincerely thank AMDA for supporting the pregnant women and our nursing home during this test of time. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, a lot of people have been forced to remain unemployed. The situation we have been faced with has been so tough that these people have no money to buy food or other daily necessities.

How could the pregnant women possibly purchase the staple dal beans if they have no means to support themselves? This is precisely why AMDA has been partially rendering assistance to these women.

Amid the dire circumstances in which some people are dying from starvation because of poverty, words are not enough to express how thankful we have been to AMDA in supporting our nursing home. Our elderly residents are immensely appreciative of the assistance they have received.”