Cricket Australia has called on Australians to make generous donations to the unfolding Covid-19 crisis in India as the governing body announced Monday to donate $50,000 to India Coronavirus crisis appeal. The donations will be used in installing and procuring oxygen generation plants in hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients, providing testing equipment in highly affected areas or districts and supporting the roll-out of Corona vaccination.
India's health infrastructure has collapsed due to the ever-increasing Coronavirus cases. Covid-19 has gripped India with the country reporting the highest daily caseload of any nation across the globe since the start of pandemic. Due to shortage of equipment and oxygen, sick patients are being turned away from hospitals.
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“Australians and Indians share a special bond and, for many, our mutual love of cricket is central to that friendship,” CA’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley told cricket.com.au.
“We were all deeply moved by the sentiments expressed and donations given by Pat Cummins and Brett Lee over the past week.
"In that same spirit, we are proud to partner with UNICEF Australia to raise funds that will help the people of India by providing the health system with much needed oxygen, testing equipment and vaccines.”
Earlier, Pat Cummins and Bret Lee had also donated their share to help India battle the dreaded second Coronavirus wave.
The Indian government, currently facing its worst health crisis, is struggling for medicines, oxygen and vaccine. The country on Sunday reported 3,92,488 new Covid-19 cases, and 3689 deaths pushing the total count to 1,95,57,457.