Man's oxygen initiative saves Covid patients in Mumbai

Shahnawaz Sheikh raised funds for his free oxygen supply to Covid patients in Mumbai by selling his car for Rs 22 lakhs.

Mumbai: While Covid-19 patients gasp for oxygen and hospitals reel over lack of oxygen, a young man, Shahnawaz Sheikh's initiative has turned a lifesaver for many people in Mumbai. Just a phone call away, Sheikh delivers oxygen to patients for free.

Around 5,500 needy patients have been saved since last year with his benevolent act. On a daily basis, around 500 people contact him seeking help. In order to raise funds for the purpose, he had sold his SUV worth Rs 22 lakhs last year. Sheikh's act of bravery and compassion has been doing rounds in social media.

Shahnawaz's friend lost his sister due to lack of oxygen before he started the initiative. After selling his vehicle, he purchased 160 oxygen cylinders which have been used to save lives.

Shahnawaz Sheikh told ETV Bharat that the government has failed in meeting people's needs during the crisis. He further added that even though Covid-19 has turned a super-spreader this year, the government has not taken any measures to tackle it, he said.

Maharashtra recorded 66,191 fresh COVID-19 cases and 832 related deaths on April 25, as per the state health bulletin. The state now has 6,98,354 active cases. With 61,450 discharges, 35,30,060 people have been cured of the disease so far in Maharashtra. However, the death toll has mounted to 64,760.