As the South Asian nation grapples with the latest wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Facebook has announced a $10 million grant to support emergency response efforts in India and has launched its Vaccine Finder tool in the country.
The American social network announced a collaboration with a number of organizations, including United Way, Swasth, Hemkunt Foundation, I Am Gurgaon, Project Mumbai, and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), to supplement critical medical supplies with over 5,000 oxygen concentrators and other life-saving equipment, such as ventilators and BiPAP machines, and to increase hospital bed capacity.
Facebook also announced a collaboration with the Government of India to launch a Vaccine Finder tool on the company's flagship app. The tool, which is available in 17 languages, is intended to assist people in locating and identifying vaccine centers in their area.
The scarcity of vaccines, on the other hand, is a bigger problem in India right now.
Facebook also stated that it is assisting non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies in India with ad credits in order to reach the majority of Facebook users with Covid-19 vaccine and preventive health information.
Furthermore, the company stated that it is partnering with UNICEF India to provide health resources to people about when to seek emergency care and how to manage mild Covid-19 symptoms at home.
Hundreds of companies, startups, entrepreneurs, and investors have stepped up their efforts in recent weeks to assist India, the world's second-most populous country, in combating the pandemic after the federal and state governments were caught off guard.
