Gopal Raithatha, a second-year psychology student from Thakur Ramnarayan College in Dahisar, with the National Service Scheme (NSS) has started a helpline (022- 41667466)  to assist citizens in need—starting from finding a bed, sourcing remdesivir and oxygen cylinders, to providing food for those in quarantine.

“The helpline is a highly automated service, which will connect a caller to concerned experts for his/her requirement,” shared Raithatha. “We started with 500 and now, there are five lakh food packets being supplied, with help from 23 kitchens,” says Raithatha, who has now managed to get a list of COVID-19 recovered patients to encourage them for plasma donation. While connecting people in need with oxygen suppliers, the group has also started raising funds to buy them. A total of 50 have been bought until now.