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FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) on Tuesday said it will provide 4,000 oxygen concentrators to India to address the acute shortage of medical oxygen as the country grapples with a deadly second wave of the pandemic.

Under its Mission HO2PE, HUL will send 4,000 concentrators to the worst affected cities which includes Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru etc, the FMCG major said in a statement.

“HUL is partnering with KVN Foundation and Portea, India’s largest home healthcare company, to make the O2 concentrators available to needy patients promptly and efficiently, it said.

Portea will have access to 3,000 oxygen concentrators, which will be provided free of charge to patients, while the remaining will be donated by HUL to hospitals in nearly 20 locations across India.

HUL’s partnership with KVN Foundation and Portea will provide oxygen for COVID-19 patients directly in their homes, reducing the pressure on healthcare infrastructure which is already under duress.

“Patients can avail of this service by calling the Mission HO2PE’ helpline number and request for oxygen concentrators,” it added.

Apart from O2 concentrators, HUL will also be providing ventilators and other medical equipment for hospitals, including in rural areas.

Besides this partnership, Hindustan Unilever is also facilitating and covering the cost for vaccination of its outer core of around 300,000 people, including those who work for suppliers, distributors, as well as Shakti Ammas in rural areas.

According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday, the single-day rise in new coronavirus infections in India fell to 3.29 lakh, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,29,92,517.

A total of 3,29,942 infections were reported in a span of 24 hours, while the death toll climbed to 2,49,992 with 3,876 fresh fatalities, the latest data said.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)