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Covid-19: Indian community in UAE sends third batch of oxygen tanks, medical aid to Kerala

Dubai - The medical cargo was flown from the UAE to India with the help of Aster Volunteers, the CSR wing of Aster DM Healthcare.

By Web Report

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Published: Mon 28 Jun 2021, 2:47 PM

Last updated: Tue 29 Jun 2021, 8:56 AM

The Indian community in the UAE has sent home another batch of medical aid and equipment, including ventilators, oxygen plants, concentrators and cylinders, and pulse oximeters,

Norka Roots, in collaboration with the expatriate Keralite community in the UAE, has dispatched its third consignment of medical supplies to the south Indian state as part of the ‘Care for Kerala’ initiative. The medical cargo was flown from the UAE to India with the help of Aster Volunteers, the CSR wing of Aster DM Healthcare.


The Care for Kerala initiative has so far managed to deliver medical aid worth around Dh2 million, aiming to strengthen the Kerala government’s fight against the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare and director of Norka Roots, and O.V. Mustafa, director of Norka Roots.

Dr Moopen said: “As India is engulfed in the second wave of Covid-19 cases, and Kerala also faced a severe shortage of medical equipment, Keralite expatriate welfare organisations, community groups, businesses and individuals in the UAE came together under the leadership of Norka Roots to send medical equipment to our homeland...I am honoured to be a part of this noble deed. I am assured that this will be of help to those in need in Kerala.”


Mustafa, who led the Care for Kerala initiative, added: “The life-saving equipment was delivered to Kerala from the UAE in three shipments. So far, an oxygen plant, 18 medical ventilators, 85 oxygen concentrators, 376 oxygen cylinders and 5,005 pulse oximeters have been mobilised through Care for Kerala (UAE).”

Badaruddin Panakkat, Mohammad Rafi, Syam Thaikkad, Bindu Nair and Ayub Chekkintakath have also been instrumental in the formation and organisation of the Care for Kerala initiative, under the leadership of Norka Roots’ directors.

The Aster Volunteers team, consisting of Nihad Abdul Nazir, Mohammad Sohail and Abu Sabah Hasan and led by PA Jaleelm, coordinated the procurement and logistics. Several other expatriate organisations, institutions, and individuals came together for the Care for Kerala (UAE) initiative.

Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare and director of Norka Roots.
Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare and director of Norka Roots.

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