Walmart, Flipkart, PhonePe Collaborate To Leverage Resources For India’s Battle Against COVID-19

Global retail giant Walmart Inc announced its support to leverage resources for India’s battle against the second wave of COVID-19. According to a recent statement by Walmart on Friday, April 30, the Walmart Foundation along with Flipkart, PhonePe will collaborate to counter the medical-grade oxygen shortage and support the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. Walmart will donate 20 cryogenic containers for oxygen storage and transportation, 20 oxygen-generating plants, and over 3,000 oxygen concentrators with 500 oxygen cylinders to ensure oxygen therapy for the treatment of patients.

The medical equipment will be sourced globally and donated to the hospitals and non-governmental organisations in India for distribution. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will also fund extra 2,500 oxygen concentrators as part of the U.S-India Business Council and the U.S-India Strategic Partnership Forum’s joint relief effort. 

According to the statement, the Walmart Foundation will donate Rs 14.82 crore to support various non-governmental organisations in India and a sum of Rs 7.41 crore will be allocated through the Walmart Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. The other amount – Rs 7.41 crore will be allocated to the GIVE Foundation Inc to assist GiveIndia’s COVID response fund. This will aid the physical infrastructure and equipment for the healthcare industry in India, prioritizing the most vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, Indian e-commerce major Flipkart – acquired by Walmart in 2018, is partnering with GiveIndia to raise funds to provide crucial medical supplies such as PPE kits, oxygen supply, hand sanitizers, etc for the healthcare workers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.  

At an earlier stage, Walmart, the Walmart Foundation along with Flipkart provided Rs 46 crore, in the form of financial support and in-kind to India. This included more than one million PPE, CPE kits or gowns, 88 ventilators, as many as 600,000 N95 masks, and other such contributions.

Additionally, Walmart Canada will support relief efforts through the Canadian Red Cross India COVID-19 Response Appeal, to fund the transport and ambulance services for patients, quarantine isolation centers, etc.