Knognat Foundation Successfully Provides Oxygen and Hospital Beds to the Needy

KOLKATA, JULY: The second wave of COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the entire world. Thousands of people found themselves helpless and under severe health distress due to lack of proper medical facilities on time.

Amidst the rising agony of people looking for oxygen and hospital beds, Knognat Foundation came forward with the establishment of Knognat Foundation Care Unit using premises of South Suburban School(branch), located at 110B, Lansdowne Place, Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata- 700026 (Opposite to Shishu Mangal Hospital). 

With the assistance of KMC and MLA Debashish Kumar, Knognat Foundation is the first NGO in the city to convert a govt school into 50 bed Covid Care Unit, along with the facility of oxygen pipeline in each bed supported by high performing BiPap machine for high flow oxygen, and 24 hours availability of doctors, nurses and ambulances.

The safe home has been segmented into different wards like Isolation Ward, Special Ward, Female Ward, General Ward, Male Ward and Emergency Ward. Presently 36 employees are striving round the clock to serve every patient with equal attention and high care. It is a well-equipped structure with modern equipment, pathology department, ECG and X-Ray facilities.  The Covid Care Unit is also supported by Ram Krishna Seva Pratisthan which takes care of patients seeking critical care.

According to sociopreneur and founding member of Knognat Foundation Devipriya Guha, “During the first wave of pandemic, we have been relentlessly working to provide nutritious food to almost 300 families undergoing treatment in isolation at homes, along with Covid kits. But when the second wave hit, we realised that people are in desperate need of oxygen. 

The biggest challenge was getting the space. So, we approached our local MLA and came up with this unit which was set up in just 15 days, during the lockdown. We have worked hard to make sure that the safe home is no less than any nursing home.” Eighteen patients have been admitted till now and 28 OPD cases have been reported mainly for oxygen support. 

Currently 6-10 patients are undergoing treatment in the unit. 5 elderly and 3 young patients has been discharged after successfully recovering from Covid-19.

Knognat Foundation is all stocked up with medical facilities needed to cope up with the crisis of the third wave of pandemic, later this year. A special ward is also prepared for treatment of Covid affected children, where they can be accompanied by their mothers. In 2021, with its medical camps on wheels, Knognat Foundation aims to reach out to more than 1 lakh families. 

About Knognat Foundation: Established in 2014, Knognat Foundation works for the upliftment of the poor and marginalized section of the society, empowering children, mothers and elderly in both urban and rural areas of West Bengal, India to eradicate poverty, diseases, malnutrition and domestic violence.