Hindustan Unilever Limited has been on a mission to stand with the nation during the pandemic and its “Mission HO₂PE” initiative helps making oxygen concentrators available to patients battling Covid – 19 at home.

Early this year, as COVID-19 cases dipped in India, we were almost convinced that the end of this misery was near, but March 2021 once again threw us into an unpredictable second wave. It was a grim reminder that the coronavirus waits only so long for us to put our guards down. Today once again, the curve seems to be flattening but if the past 15 months have taught us anything, we can’t afford to be lackadaisical. The virus continues to mutate and there’s already talk of a third wave. Even as we slowly find our feet, we got to be battle-ready for what might hit us next.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is doing exactly that with its latest humanitarian initiative titled “Mission HO₂PE”. It’s goal is clear – to plug the gap in oxygen supply triggered by second wave and save as many lives as possible.

Since its inception, Mission HO₂PE has managed to procure over 5,000 oxygen concentrators from across the world. To make sure the concentrators reach those in need, HUL has joined hands with Portea Medical, one of India’s largest providers of in-home medical care, and KVN Foundation. These life-saving machines are being delivered to individual houses with COVID-19 free of cost in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Pune.

How exactly do oxygen concentrators work?

As the name suggests, oxygen concentrators are essentially devices that make oxygen on their own instead of using industrial units as is in the case of hospitals. Considering that these devices do not use a tank for storage and produce oxygen on-the-go, they are also easily portable. They use the air from the surroundings and purify it for the person in need.

When infected with COVID-19, a patient’s oxygen level can drop. A healthy patient’s levels would average between 95% to 100%; anything below that generally prompts intervention. Oxygen concentrators regulate and normalise the oxygen levels in one’s body. For patients whose levels haven’t dropped below 90%, concentrators can be of great help. However, if one’s levels continue to drop, it is important for them to seek immediate medical help.

Oxygen concentrators have been regarded as lifesavers over the past few months. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that directly attacks your lungs and compromises their ability to function optimally. These concentrators assume the role of the lungs externally by filtering the air for you before you breathe so that there is less pressure on your lungs. Certain studies have shown that these devices produce oxygen that is 90% to 95% pure.

Why are oxygen concentrators important for homecare?

Over the past few months, hospitals have been teeming with patients in need of medical attention and were stretched to the limit. These portable oxygen concentrators ensure that help is provided right where you are and patients who are not very critical can get the treatment they need at home. With Mission HO₂PE, HUL aims to make this lifesaving device accessible to such patients. This ensures that hospitals are not overburdened by cases and that help is provided to everyone who is in need. Devices such as these are instrumental in saving the lives of thousands around the country whose symptoms do not require hospitalisation.

How can one avail of oxygen concentrators?

A helpline number has been set up in association with Portea Medical and KVN Foundation. In order to get an oxygen concentrator, you can leave a missed call on 08068065385. The team streamlines all requests and validates them. Through this procedure, they ensure that the concentrators are indeed made available free of charge. Finally, a trained professional from Portea Medical, dressed in a PPE suit is sent to the location to guide caregivers on how to use the equipment.

Mission HO₂PE does not stop at that. It aims at optimising the use of these concentrators. With their “Borrow-Use-Return” model, more and more people have the opportunity to access this device. Quite simply, it follows a circular method that allows them to reuse the device for multiple patients. At the core of its functioning is the idea that devices must be returned after use. Once they have received it, these concentrators are serviced, sanitised, and then given to the next patient in need. The message is clear: Do not hoard resources and use them responsibly. Steps like these ensure that there is no limit to the number of people who can be helped thanks to this initiative.

Clearly, HUL’s Mission HO₂PE is no run-off-the-mill CSR activity. It’s a well chalked- out programme with its heart in the right place -- one that ensures that India is never left gasping for breath.

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Printable version | Jun 10, 2022 5:30:27 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/brandhub/huls-mission-hope-breathes-new-life-into-the-fight-against-covid-19/article34985658.ece