Pune Jesuits’ Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

THE COVID-19 SCENARIO IN PUNE

The COVID- 19 pandemic situation is “serious” in Maharashtra, especially in Pune and other districts. 26% of total virus cases in India come from the state of Maharashtra alone, while it accounts for almost 29% of total deaths resulting from Corona virus in the country.

The Pune Jesuits has been consistently reaching out to the poorest of the poor and the unreached ones. Jesuits and alumnus have come together in this emergency to help the poor migrants, homeless, underprivileged, daily wagers & people where COVID- 19 is prevalent. A lot of work has been carried out in the parishes of the Pune Jesuit Province.

  

Key Activity &Updates

Foods & Dry Rations

  • Food packets & Dry ration kits are distributed to the migrants & needy

Masks & Sanitizers

  • 3000 N95 masks are donated to Hospitals

Funds

  • Amount of Rs. 10,00,000/- have been donated in PM CARES through schools & parishes

Awareness Programmes/Information & Updates

  • Creating awareness about Govt. welfare schemes, sanitation, hygiene, social distancing is provided in schools

Financial Aid

  • Amount of Rs. 2,00,000 was distributed to poor families.

Special Interventions / Unique Case Studies & Practices

The ex-students of 1991 batch of St. Xavier's High School had collected the funds for 200 PPE Kits to be donated to the Medical Doctors and Staff of CPR Hospital who are risking their lives day and night to serve humanity in these difficult times of Covid-19 pandemic.

St. Vincent’s and Loyola High Schools are working with ex-students to raise funds for Ventilators and Dialysis machines. The ex-students had delivered 1000 Visors free of cost to COVID Sassoon hospital.

Fr. Provincial has started sending help and financial aid to the respective Parishes. They also distributed food kits & dry rations to the distressed families in the villages. The payment cheques are sent along with the letters to carry out relief work among the poor and distressed people.

A team has been set up under the leadership of Fr. Joe D’Souza to monitor pandemic related relief work in the Province. The funds are released as per the request of the priest working on the frontline areas.

The Parish Priests and the Social Center in Ahmednagar District has taken to visiting to villages in distress. The villagers are given help in the form of wheat, rice, sugar, and pulses.