NITIE’s Support to COVID Warriors during Pandemic – Times of India

NITIE, a premier Industrial Engineering Institution of India had been involved in very innovative and welfare-oriented activities during the corona crisis period in the country and Mumbai city in particular. NITIE has pioneered the digital initiatives in academics like conducting online final year exams apart from online teaching. NITIE also supported around 500 Adivasis in its adopted villages by distributing grocery kits, gloves, masks and sanitizers.

In a significant departure from these steps, it has taken took one more bold initiative by directly supporting the COVID warrior team consisting of enthusiastic Doctors and volunteers numbering around 25 to 30 who took up an assignment in collaboration with BMC and Nirmaya Seva Foundation in S-Ward of Mumbai city. These COVID warriors voluntarily had taken up the assignment of visiting various locations in this ward and carrying out community screening for people who might be suffering from symptoms which might lead to contracting corona virus. The team of volunteers deputed by Nirmaya Seva Foundation along with BMC officials had been equipped with necessary PPE and other items required for their safe working. Under the leadership of Prof. Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Director along with Prof. Hema Date, Dean (SA), Prof. V B Khanapuri, Dean (SRIC), Mr. Basavaraj Swamy, Registrar and others, based on the request of BMC, NITIE organized to provide decent accommodation, food facilities to this team of Doctors and volunteers who worked for a period of 8 to 10 days during 1st week of June 2020. The area where they were accommodated was also regularly disinfected properly by a professional team. During the period of community screening carried out by the team, a total number of 6791 people were screened out of which 48 people were sent for COVID test and 339 people were referred to the health centre for further investigation.

During the period of community screening the team also sought and got full cooperation from all segments of people including those affiliated to different political sections and Non-Government Organisations who helped them actively in this exercise. There were 9 BMC officials of department 4 who worked along with this team. Team members were consisting of youngsters comprising of both men and women. Volunteers, some of whom were not only Doctors but also those working with Multinational Companies and renowned organisation who had come voluntarily by taking personal leave from their offices. It is also pleasing to note that these volunteers had taken this initiative on their own, sometimes against the wishes of their loved ones and family members. At the end of the screening exercise all the volunteers were subjected to the COVID test to ascertain about contacting COVID virus. It is very heartening to note that all of them were declared negative.

NITIE took up this responsibility as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and also to help the community living in the ward in which NITIE is located. The support of the Institute has won lot of appreciation from the concerned Doctors, volunteers and other philanthropists.