COVID Response 2021

India and Nepal

Serving people of the Himalayas

Live to Love is launching a COVID response to serve vulnerable populations in India and Nepal. Our communities in Himachal Pradesh (India), Ladakh (India) and Kathmandu (Nepal) are suffering from rapid rates of COVID infection with very little medical infrastructure.

POPULATION AND REGION

Region 1: Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India

During the first wave of COVID, several villages suffered near 100% infection rates. This was driven by communal living and multi-generational co-habitation in homes. Many of the COVID deaths in this region are not reported due to lack of resources.

Known as the “Tribal Belt” of India, Lahaul/Spiti is home to some of the most marginalized populations in India. The rugged and mountainous region has a long standing history of health challenges for its 32,000+ inhabitants. Despite the progress made in the region, many challenges remain in terms of poor infrastructure, lack of connectivity and poor access to health care. Due to the lack of infrastructure, 70% of the deaths (prior to the pandemic) resulted from chronic disease. As of 2018, 24% of the population suffered from hepatitis B and a vast majority of the population suffers from co-morbidities. The health services in the region are plagued by shortage of doctors, lack of blood banks, no ultrasound facility and lack of disease-prevention activities. Due to limited resources, seriously ill patients must be airlifted to Kullu, for better medical care, and on most occasions lives are lost en route.

Relief Aid for Lahaul and Spiti

The people of Lahaul and Spiti have urgently requested an “Oxygen Bank”, preventative equipment and kits. Live to Love will operate in synchronization with the local administration and Chief Medical Officer. These oxygen banks will be strategically placed in a cluster of villages and will serve as a resource of emergency oxygen supply for patients waiting to be transported to a larger facility in Kullu, should an open bed free up. Further, our team will create culturally appropriate pamphlets and banners to help educate the population on COVID prevention.

Critical supplies include:

Sodium Hypo Chloride, Vitamins: D3, C+Zinc, Oxymeters, Hand Sanitizers, Surgical Masks, Steamers, Surgical Gloves, Gargle, PPE Kits, Face Shields, Oxygen Cylinders with Kit, Oxygen Concentrators and Pamphlets on Public Health Education: Covid Prevention

Budget for Lahaul and Spiti

Please note that the budget is an estimate with prices quickly inflating as demand increases. We project that there may be a 10-20% increase depending on timing. Live to Love would also prefer support in-kind and assistance with procurement of supplies. However, financial contributions will go towards sourcing critical aid and food.

The price of oxygen concentrators in India has tripled due to increased demand. We expect further inflation.

Region 2: Ladakh, India

According to local authorities, Ladakh suffers from the highest fatality rate among those who test positive for COVID. The region is difficult to access by road and sits at extremely high altitude, making emergency resources difficult to acquire. There is only one hospital in the entire region, and it currently lacks critical medical equipment. Given its altitude, the environment is also naturally low on environmental oxygen, and the supply chain for aid is often broken from weather disruption or border tensions. Rates for COVID infection are growing exponentially – the latest report indicates 200+ new cases a day, with signs pointing towards a sharp incline on the brink.

Ladakh is in the northern most region of the Indian Himalayas, and borders Pakistan and China. With a population of 274,000+ people living in harsh terrain and climate, Ladakh uniquely cradles many indigenous micro-cultures and vulnerable tribes of people. As the current wave of the pandemic is ravaging India, Ladakhis are bracing for a large surge to hit their region with the vast numbers of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, which are some of the worst hit regions.

Relief Aid for Ladakh, India

Ladakh’s response will focus on prevention, procurement of high flow nasal cannula machines, oxygen concentrators and food distribution. The region’s GDP is 50% dependent on tourism and during the lock down a vast majority of families will face food insecurity.

Critical supplies include:

Two High Flow Nasal Cannula Machines, Oxygen Concentrators, Covid Safety Kits: masks, hand sanitizers, soap, basic medication and vitamins, and Food

Budget for Ladakh, India

Sr. No.	Particulars	Qty	Unit	Rate (in USD)	Amt (in USD)
1	Safety kits	3700	Box	1.36	5013
2	High Flow Nasal Cannula	2	Machines	4742	9485
3	Food for distribution	850	Familes	10.16	8638
4	Transportation				4065
5	Misc Expenses				1355
	Grand Total				USD 28556

Region 3: Kathmandu, Nepal

Nepal’s COVID infection rates have increased nearly 1,645% since last month, with over 58,000 infections reported. Neighboring India, countless people in desperate need of work cross over the borders on a daily basis. It is at very high risk of following the dire infection pattern now experienced in India.

Kathmandu is the densely populated capital of Nepal with a population of over 1,000,000 people. Live to Love works with some of the most at-risk communities within Kathmandu and beyond. Among the most vulnerable are girls, women and the people of the Dalit caste who regularly suffer from discrimination.

As an added crisis, Nepal has always been known as one of the busiest human trafficking gateways in the world. Since the pandemic, several disrupted social and economic structures bolstered the human trafficking trade with thousands of Nepalese vanishing. Human trafficking results in either sex work, forced labor or illegal organ harvesting. It is estimated that over 12,000 children are trafficked for sex work a year. Human trafficking is a profitable business and Nepal is one of the most lucrative markets.

Our relief response in Nepal will focus on delivering critical supplies and food to families most vulnerable with the goal of preventing human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Our partners will also focus on educating mothers and women in village on COVID prevention so that they may teach their families and villages.

Critical supplies include:

Covid Safety Kits: masks, hand sanitizers, soap, basic medication and vitamins and Food

Budget for Kathmandu, Nepal

Sr. No.	Particulars	Qty	Unit	Rate (in USD)	Amt (in USD)
1	Safety Kits	1000	boxes	10	10000
2	Food	1000	families	20	20000
3	Transportation				3000
4	Misc expenses				1355
	Grand Total				USD 34355

Live to Love’s Commitment to Women

Live to Love is committed to assisting women in the Himalayas and writ large. Women in Nepal and India suffer from systematic and cultural discrimination. For many rural women, they are not allowed to seek medical treatment without the permission of their father or husband. Further, care for men is regularly prioritized. The pandemic has exposed the public health dangers of inequity and the pandemic has disproportionately affected women.

Donate now and help our on-the-ground partners and volunteers reach out and help their local communities!

Covid Response 2021 – Gift Aided

Covid Response 2021 – Non Gift Aided