Credit Suisse helps equip nine government hospitals in Maharashtra in fight against coronavirus pandemic

Pune, India, April 20, 2020: Credit Suisse has pledged INR 45 million (approx. US$590,000) to support government and community efforts to address urgent healthcare needs arising from the Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The aid is being deployed through United Way Mumbai and Concern India Foundation, and will be used to fund the procurement of critical medical equipment and protective gear for over 4,000 frontline healthcare workers across nine government hospitals in Mumbai and Pune.

With the support of Credit Suisse, United Way Mumbai will purchase 36 ventilators and 11,500 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits including surgical masks, gowns, goggles, shoe covers, gloves and hand sanitizers for front line medical staff at the Kasturba, Bhabha Kurla, Rajawadi, HBT Jogeshwari, Gokuldas Tejpal, IIT Bombay and St George hospitals in Mumbai. Over 1,200+ healthcare workers and 225,000 patients are expected to benefit.

Through Concern India Foundation, Credit Suisse will procure similar items, as well as other critical medical equipment including ECG and portable x-ray machines, for the Intensive Care Units of the government-owned Sasoon and Sardar Vallabhai Patel Cantonment Hospitals in Pune, which have a combined capacity of 2,500 patients and employ around 3,000 health workers in total.

Additionally, Credit Suisse India employees will contribute to providing food and personal care kits to communities of daily wage earners and their families who have been among the worst affected by the economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. With each kit, a family of four will have approximately one month’s worth of meals.

Mickey Doshi, CEO India, Credit Suisse, said, “In these trying times, it is important that we come together to support our wider communities. Credit Suisse is privileged to support our local medical teams who have been working tirelessly to provide lifesaving treatment, and ensure they can continue to do so while safeguarding their own health.”

Jayanti Shukla, CEO, United Way Mumbai, said, “Our actions over the next few weeks are critical in determining how we, as a nation, fight the Covid-19 pandemic. With the support of organizations such as Credit Suisse we are able to help public hospitals with the protective gear and crucial medical equipment they need to best help patients suffering from the virus.”

Kavita Shah, CEO, Concern India Foundation, said, “It is imperative that we support our hospitals and our healthcare workers during this challenging time, and the contributions of corporates such as Credit Suisse go a long way. With the number of coronavirus-related cases growing every day in India, we need to ensure prevention and relief. Concern India Foundation is in the process of mobilizing resources across the country to lend support to the government’s efforts.”